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38-605: The Industrial Canal is a 5.5-mile (8.9 km) waterway in New Orleans, Louisiana , United States. The waterway's proper name, as used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and on NOAA nautical charts , is Inner Harbor Navigation Canal ( IHNC ). The more common "Industrial Canal" name is used locally, both by commercial mariners and by landside residents. The canal connects the Mississippi River to Lake Pontchartrain . It separates New Orleans East from

76-479: A UNESCO World Heritage Site , the oldest known waterway system in the world, is considered to be one of the world's largest and most extensive project of engineering . The European Conference of Ministers of Transport established in 1953 a classification of waterways that was later expanded to take into account the development of push-towing. Europe is a continent with a great variety of waterway characteristics, which makes this classification valuable to appreciate

114-504: A "maritime waterway" (examples Seine Maritime, Loire Maritime , Seeschiffahrtsstraße Elbe). The term "inland waterway" refers to navigable rivers and canals designed to be used by inland waterway craft only, implicitly of much smaller dimensions than seagoing ships. In order for a waterway to be navigable , it must meet several criteria: Vessels using waterways vary from small animal -drawn barges to immense ocean tankers and ocean liners , such as cruise ships . In order to increase

152-471: A fire hazard. In 1745, plans for a new building of brick and protected colombage were prepared by Broutin. The contractor was Claude Joseph Villars Dubreuil, Contractor of Public Works for the King. His wife, Marie Payen de Noyan, was Bienville's niece. This new convent was completed by 1753. It is likely that Alexandre de Batz also took part in the design because several payments are listed to him for work on

190-588: A quarter-mile length on the Lower 9th Ward side, resulting in catastrophic flooding. On the Upper 9th Ward side, the canal poured through a breach near Florida Avenue . On the opposite side, there were two breaches between Florida Avenue and Claiborne Avenue . A large barge, the ING 4727 , floated through the breach closer to the river and was deposited in the Lower 9th Ward . The barge itself may have caused one or more of

228-462: A site for shipyards and other industry requiring water access. Without a new lock, the port's France Road Container Terminal and Jourdan Road Wharf would also remain closed due to the inadequate deepwater access. Proponents of the new lock additionally cite dwindling barge traffic as evidence that the existing obsolete lock is choking off commerce. Opponents point to the same figures to support their contention that insufficient demand exists to justify

266-437: A site on Dauphine Street in the 9th Ward in 1824, turning over the original convent to the bishop of New Orleans, Louis William Valentine DuBourg . It was referred to as the "Archbishop's Palace" following New Orleans's elevation to an archdiocese. In 1912, the convent moved uptown to State Street. The entrance portico was added after the bishop had taken residence. The construction of a gatehouse around 1825–1830 reoriented

304-586: A winding cypress staircase with cast iron handrail occupies part of the ground floor entry hall. "This is the finest surviving example of French colonial public architecture in the country", states the National Park Service. It is by some accounts the oldest structure in New Orleans, built between 1748 and 1752. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960. The convent and its associated school, Ursuline Academy , moved downriver to

342-424: Is a formal, symmetrical building, severely designed in its lack of ornamentation. No applied orders of pilasters or columns relieved the plain walls. Only the slightly arched window set in shallow moldings, the rusticated quoins at the corners and narrow central pedimented pavilion break the even rhythm of the fenestration . The broad plain hipped roof , broken only by small low-set dormers contrasts well with

380-575: Is engaged in a project to replace the canal's historic locks with larger modern locks sited to the north of Claiborne Avenue . Maritime interests argue that in light of the closure of the MRGO , and the loss of the deepwater access it provided to the Gulf of Mexico , modern oceangoing vessels are unable to access the inner harbor of the Industrial Canal, permanently limiting the canal's utility as

418-552: The Corps complies with the National Environmental Policy Act . There are eight bridges over the Industrial Canal. Each provides sufficient vertical clearance for ship traffic. The bridges, beginning at the north end of the canal, are: Waterway Where seaports are located inland, they are approached through a waterway that could be termed "inland" but in practice is generally referred to as

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456-599: The Corps ' projected June 1, 2011 deadline, a temporary cofferdam has been built to reduce risk to the area during the construction. In order to prevent a future storm surge from entering the IHNC via the GIWW from Lake Borgne , the IHNC Lake Borgne Surge Barrier was built near the confluence of the GIWW and MRGO . This $ 1.1 billion project was finished in 2013. The barrier has navigable gates in

494-672: The GIWW and Bayou Bienvenue . These gates can be shut when a storm surge is expected. Industrial Canal Lock provides a connection with the Mississippi River . Because it is shorter and narrower than most modern locks on the Mississippi River System , the 1920s vintage lock has become a bottleneck between the nation's two highest-tonnage waterways —the Mississippi and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway . The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

532-675: The Intracoastal Waterway was rerouted, and a newly excavated segment extending through the swamp west from the Rigolets joined the Industrial Canal at its approximate midway point between the river and the lake. In 1944, the federal government leased the Industrial Canal lock and the southern 2.1-mile (3.4-km) section of the canal and took over its operation and maintenance. In the 1960s the Industrial Canal/ Intracoastal Waterway junction

570-613: The Jackson Barracks to Lake Pontchartrain. Each of the options was originally explored for barge traffic and based on the construction of locks at the Mississippi River that would provide 10 feet of draft over the sill. However, the report noted that the Press Street and Jackson Barracks options could be increased to accommodate ship drafts. In addition to the base option, three alternates were presented for

608-590: The Port of New Orleans to build a deep-water shipping canal between the river and lake. Thereafter, a study was undertaken for the Port by Ford, Bacon and Davis Engineers, and the results were presented in its report of June 30, 1915. The report noted several driving factors behind the canal, including capitalizing on shipping opportunities anticipated with the recent construction of the Panama Canal and competing with

646-569: The Press Street location. In addition to a lock with 10 feet over the sill, the alternates explored 15 feet, 30 feet, and 35 feet of draft. Ultimately, 30 feet was chosen and established. In August 1917, a land tract previously occupied by the Ursuline Convent that included 700 feet of river frontage was offered for sale, several years after the Ursuline order moved from this site to their new location on State Street. The Port procured

684-582: The back side of the French Quarter with the lake via Bayou St. John , but it was not extended to the river because of the differing levels of the river and the lake. Engineers confirmed that canal locks would be necessary. A canal proposed in the early 19th century was never built, but the right-of-way for the proposed waterway gave its name to the city's Canal Street . In July 1914 the Louisiana State Government authorized

722-621: The boundary of the Upper 9th Ward on the upriver side of the canal and the Lower 9th Ward neighborhood on the downriver side. Near the lake, it is generally considered to be the eastern boundary of the Gentilly neighborhood and the western boundary of New Orleans East . The dream of a shipping canal connecting the Mississippi River to Lake Pontchartrain goes back to Spanish colonial times (1763–1803). The colonial era Carondelet Canal connected

760-401: The breaches; this possibility is under investigation. The canal lock was functioning two days after Katrina hit, at first mostly for barges bringing in fill to repair the breaches. A month later Hurricane Rita reflooded recently drained areas along the canal by topping emergency fill at the breach sites. Since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, proposals have been made to close the northern end of

798-411: The building by repositioning the main entrance from the river side to Chartres Street. The Ursuline property covered two city squares, extending to Royal Street. An old ground plan shows a chapel at the corner of Ursulines and Decatur Streets, dedicated to Our Lady of Victory . Near the entrance to the grounds, along the levee , were also a reception house for visitors, the day school, and a residence for

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836-439: The canal began on 6 June 1918. The length from the lake to the lock near the river was constructed with a 30 foot (9 m) depth, with a width of 300 feet (90 m) at the top of the canal and at least 150 feet (45 m) at the bottom. The original lock system had 5 gates, a width of 74 feet (23 m), and a depth of 50 feet (15 m), with a capability to function to up to 20 feet (6 m) in difference of levels between

874-712: The canal by building a dam at the entrance to Lake Pontchartrain , as part of an effort to block storm surge . A subcommittee of the Bring New Orleans Back Commission has endorsed such a move. Since a dam would prohibit shipping between the lake and the canal, the US Army Corps of Engineers has designed a surge barrier , the IHNC Seabrook Floodgate Structure . Construction started in the fall of 2010, and although construction activities will continue beyond

912-404: The canal's levees resulted in the flooding of the Lower 9th Ward during Hurricane Betsy in 1965. Subsequently, concrete floodwalls were constructed to replace the levees. In 2005, with the approach of Hurricane Katrina , storm surge funneled by the confluence of the GIWW 's and MRGO 's levees created multiple breaches in the canal's concrete floodwalls, including the spectacular failure of

950-579: The different classes in waterway. There is also a remarkable variety of waterway characteristics in many countries of Asia, but there has not been any equivalent international drive for uniformity. This classification is provided by the UN Economic Commission for Europe , Inland Transport Committee, Working Party on Inland Water Transport. A low resolution version of that map is shown here. Ursuline Convent, New Orleans (1824) Ursuline Convent ( French : Couvent des Ursulines )

988-934: The importance of inland waterway transport, the European Commission presented a 35-point action plan in June 2021. The main goals are to increase the amount of goods moved through Europe's rivers and canals and to speed up the switch to zero-emission barges by 2050. This is in accordance with the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy and the European Green Deal , which set the target of boosting inland canal and short-sea shipping by 25% by 2030 and by 50% by 2050. Waterways have been an important part of human activity since prehistoric times and navigability has allowed watercraft and canals to pass through every body of water . The Grand Canal (China) ,

1026-401: The multi-windowed façade and completes the austere but not unpleasant, finely proportioned building. The ground floor was used largely for the dormitory , classrooms, refectory , and infirmary of the orphanage, maintained by the nuns. The second floor contained cells for the nuns, a library, (another) infirmary, and storerooms. Believed to have been salvaged from the original 1730s convent,

1064-542: The new building. The second convent was laid out adjacent to the site of its predecessor, whose materials were partly recycled. In its original configuration, the building's front façade was that facing the Mississippi River; the Chartres Street entrance was located at the back of the building. Built of stucco-covered brick, the present-day Old Ursuline Convent is typical for the French neoclassical architecture . It

1102-912: The new lock. Neighborhood associations and environmental groups have fought the project and, on October 6, 2006, represented by the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic , the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association , the Louisiana Environmental Action Network , and the Gulf Restoration Network obtained an order from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana enjoining the project until

1140-552: The nuns arrived in New Orleans, at the request of Governor Étienne Perier. Michael Zeringue (Johann Michael Zehringer), the King's Master Carpenter from Franconia, Bavaria and progenitor of all "Zeringue" families in Louisiana was the builder. Planning, collecting material, and construction took years. Existing drawings show the building in 1733, although it was not officially finished until the following year. Colombage (half-timbered) or briquette-entre-poteaux (brick-between-post)

1178-502: The opening of the canal, slips and docks were added along its length, allowing it to function as a harbor and industrial zone in addition to serving as a transit canal. With the inauguration of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway ( GIWW ) in the 1930s, the Industrial Canal served as a channel linking the Lake Pontchartrain segment of the GIWW to its continuing segment, accessed via the Mississippi River . During World War II

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1216-544: The property and announced the location of the locks and final canal alignment in May 1918. Considerable land was expropriated in the downriver portion of the city. Toward the lake this was mostly little-developed swamp. Along the riverfront, though, buildings demolished to make room for the canal included homes and the Ursuline Convent , whose Dauphine Street facility was nearly a century old at that time. Dredging of

1254-728: The railroads by improving marine transportation and shipping. Five locations for the canal were presented, including one through the Carrollton neighborhood to the New Basin Canal , a second between Jackson Avenue and Canal Street connecting to the head of the New Basin Canal, a third through the French Quarter to the Carondelet Canal , a fourth at Press Street to Lake Pontchartrain, and a fifth through

1292-568: The rest of the city, and the Lower 9th Ward from the Upper 9th Ward . Approximately half of the waterway's course, from Industrial Lock to a point north of the Florida Avenue Bridge , is confluent with both the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet ( MRGO ). The entirety of the canal passes through the 9th Ward of the city. Along the riverfront, the canal constitutes

1330-404: The river and lake. The opening dedication ceremony was presided over by Louisiana Governor John M. Parker on 5 May 1923. The cost was 19 million dollars . The original length of the canal was 5.3 miles (8.5 km) with a 1,600 foot (500 m) right-of way. The longer current length of 5.5 miles (8.9 km) is due to the extension of the lakeshore by dredging in the late 1920s. After

1368-408: Was a series of historic Ursuline convents in New Orleans , Louisiana , United States. In 1727, at the request of Governor Étienne Perier , nuns from the Ursuline Convent of Rouen (Normandy) went to New Orleans to found a convent, run a hospital, and take care of educating young girls. The first building for the Ursuline nuns in New Orleans was designed by Ignace François Broutin in 1727 when

1406-439: Was enlarged, in expectation of the anticipated surge in traffic resulting from the completion (1965) of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet . Largely due to the failure of the Port of New Orleans' Centroport U.S.A. initiative (which envisioned the wholesale relocation of the port from wharfs along the Mississippi River to new facilities along the Intracoastal Waterway ), this surge in traffic failed to materialize. A breach in

1444-490: Was the major form of French Colonial construction in the colony during the 18th century (see also Pitot House ). Usually the exterior walls were then given a protective covering of stucco or wooden boards; but the fact that the timbered walls of the Ursuline Convent were left exposed is confirmed by a drawing from 1737. Such construction proved to be inappropriate for the humid climate of New Orleans (with significant deterioration already apparent by 1745), in addition to being

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