INDIANAPOLIS — If you live or drive in Broad Ripple, you might notice parts of a main waterway are sitting completely empty.
There is some major work taking place on the canal right now. As water levels plummeted on Thursday, there were several curious faces walking along the Monon.
“It is very strange,” said Elizabeth Askren, who works in Broad Ripple.
“I just have a bunch of questions, but I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough,” said Shelly Boomershine, who has lived in Broad Ripple for 30 years.
As people took their evening stroll along the canal Thursday night, many were surprised to hear the buzzing and peeping of construction equipment once again. But perhaps they were even more shocked to find only mud and muck along their walk instead of a flowing waterway.
“I thought, ‘Boy, they’re going to find all kinds of things down there in the canal I imagine,’” said Cara Harris, who’s lived in Broad Ripple around a decade.
“We were wondering what the ducks were saying about their house getting smaller because they’re in that little pond over there with no water,” joked Askren.
Citizens Energy Group started draining a section of the canal this week for a bit of a maintenance and cleanup effort. Crews are removing excess silt and buildup from over the years.
“Westfield Boulevard is closed right now for an Indy DPW bridge project,” said Ben Easley, a spokesperson for Citizens Energy Group. “And so the canal had to be de-watered for that construction anyway, so we took that opportunity to make sure we got in there and removed some of that sediment.”
Some walking in the area Thursday found the sight so strange they even took pictures of it.
Still, they said they are glad the work is being done.
“You know it’s good that they’re doing it now that it’s cooler so we won’t have the odors that come up from whatever’s down there,” Harris laughed.
“This is the first time I’ve seen this going on,” Boomershine said. “So, [it’s] exciting.”
“It’s a little strange to see, but it’s nice that it’s getting cleaned up,” said Askren.
While the canal sits a little low, Citizens Energy Group said there is still plenty of water flowing through local treatment facilities in the meantime.
“Obviously this is a key part of our water intake infrastructure,” Easley said. “The other intakes along White River and Fall Creek are now increased to make sure the treatment facility has plenty of water.”
Citizens Energy Group said its work has to be done in April. So, you will slowly start to see that water fill up again over time.
