Trees growing on Dam#5's historic masonry wall.

Vegetation Management at Dams # 4 and 5

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park » Vegetation Management at Dams # 4 and 5 » Document List

The National Park Service, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, will be conducting vegetation management at historic Dams #4 and 5 and the Dam #4 boat ramp area of the park during 2007. Small trees and vines have taken foothold within the historic masonry at both dams. Removal of this destructive vegetation will be in accordance with National Park Service guidelines including Director Order 28 and Secretary of Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. The woody vegetation is beginning to cause deterioration of the structures.

In addition to the removal of woody growth impacting the historic dams, trees will be trimmed along the perimeter of the dam #4 boat ramp and access road. Vegetation trimming will be undertaken to provide appropriate vehicle clearances and to improve the health of the existing trees.

Vegetation around the dam warning sign will also be cleared so the sign is visible to boaters.

All work will follow OSHA, national arboricultural guidelines, and National Park Service standards for pesticide applications. The work will be undertaken by a contractor for the National Park Service, with NPS oversight by a certified arborist.

The park's Interdisciplinary Team reviewed the project for impacts to natural and cultural resources. The project does not pose any serious or long-term effects to the environmental, historical, cultural, archeological, or visual resources. It meets categorical exclusion #C.4 – Routine maintenance and repairs to cultural resources sites, structures, utilities, and grounds if the action falls under an approved Historic Structures Preservation Guide or Cyclic Maintenance Guide, or if the action would not adversely affect the cultural resource.

The project also meets the National Historic Preservation Act/Section 106 Programmatic Agreement, Exclusions #IV.B 1 – preservation maintenance (housekeeping, routine and cyclic maintenance, and stabilization) as defined in DO-28.




Contact Information

For further information about this project, please contact Chief of Maintenance, at 1850 Dual Highway, Suite 100, Hagerstown, MD 21740.