The Point Pleasant Canal is a
canal
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface ...
in
Point Pleasant, New Jersey
Point Pleasant is a Borough (New Jersey), borough situated on the Jersey Shore, in northern Ocean County, New Jersey, Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 18,941, an i ...
, forming a segment of the
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a Navigability, inland waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States, running from Massachusetts southward along the Atlantic Seaboard and around the southern tip of Florida, the ...
. It connects the
Manasquan River and
Manasquan Inlet
The Manasquan Inlet is an inlet that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Manasquan River, dividing Monmouth and Ocean counties in the state of New Jersey. Passage to Bay Head Harbor and the Barnegat Bay is possible via the Point Pleasant Can ...
to
Barnegat Bay
Barnegat Bay is a small Brackish water, brackish arm of the Atlantic Ocean, approximately long, along the coast of Ocean County, New Jersey, Ocean County, New Jersey in the United States. It is separated from the Atlantic by the long Island B ...
, providing a navigable route for vessels along the Jersey Shore.
History
The canal was completed in 1925 as part of the inland waterway system, facilitating maritime navigation along the Atlantic coast. Its construction effectively bisected the
Barnegat Peninsula
The Barnegat Peninsula, also known as the Island Beach Peninsula or Barnegat Bay Island and colloquially as "the barrier island", is a long, narrow barrier peninsula located on the Jersey Shore in Ocean County, New Jersey, Ocean County, New Jersey ...
, transforming it into an island. The canal's opening led to significant changes in local hydrology, including saltwater intrusion into upper Barnegat Bay and the closure of the original Manasquan Inlet by 1929, which adversely affected the local fishing industry. A new inlet was subsequently constructed in 1930 to restore the fishing economy.
In 1964, the canal was officially named the Point Pleasant Canal through Senate Bill #2654.
Infrastructure
The canal is spanned by two lift bridges: the
Route 88 Bridge and the
Lovelandtown Bridge on
Bridge Avenue. These bridges open on demand to allow marine traffic to pass, temporarily halting vehicular traffic.
Environmental Monitoring
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) maintains a monitoring station at the canal (Site No. 01408043) to collect data on water quality and hydrology.
Recent Developments
In January 2022, $3.2 million in federal funding was approved for repairs to the canal's bulkhead, addressing structural issues and ensuring safe navigation.
References
External links
Point Pleasant Canal HistoryUSGS Monitoring Station 01408043
Canals in New Jersey
Intracoastal Waterway
Transportation buildings and structures in Ocean County, New Jersey
Canals opened in 1925
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