Explores how to connect the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal with Baltimore, and how much water a canal needs to run.
This edition presents Col. J. J. Abert’s detailed reasoning on routes, water supply, and the practical challenges of canal engineering in the 1830s.
This book frame-by-frame follows the process of evaluating canal routes within Maryland, weighing water availability, and choosing the best path. It explains how engineers studied several paths, considered feeder and reservoir needs, and argued for a reliable water surplus to handle unforeseen events.
- Examines the central question: how much water is required to operate a canal, including filling, losses, and lock usage.
- Draws on prior surveys and compares routes within Maryland, focusing on water supply and practicability.
- Discusses the idea of a surplus water plan to guard against unexpected shortages.
- Describes the role of engineers, collaboration, and the decision process in public works planning.
Ideal for readers of historical engineering, infrastructure planning, and 19th‑century public policy.