"We are again in the midst of troubles" (Floods - Chapter 1)

Recurrent flooding has plagued the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal throughout its history. During its operational era, major floods repeatedly put the waterway out of business, sometimes for months, and were a key factor behind the failure of the C&O Canal Company in 1890 and the final closure of the canal in 1924. Since the purchase of the canal by the federal government in 1938 and its transformation into a park, flooding has continued to be a major problem. Flood damage has made the towpath inaccessible to the public for long periods and required the expenditure of tens of millions of dollars for repairs and the stabilization of canal structures.