The bottomland between the towpath and the river includes significant wetland areas and provides flood control, a filter for environmental pollution, natural drainage, and important habitat for wildlife. As the Coastal Plain meets the Piedmont Plateau here, plant, animal, and insect species from the two ecological zones converge. A wide variety of conifers and deciduous trees can be seen, including loblolly pine, cypress, winged elm, magnolia, sugarberry, sweet gum, patch barked sycamore, and many different species of oak. Birds such as gees, osprey, wild turkeys and loons thrive here, along with wood storks, blue herons, and bald eagles. The canal and wetlands are home to deer, beaver, river otter, raccoon, a variety of lizards, turtles, and snakes, and even an occasional alligator.
Muskrats are plentiful and sometime damage the canal banks with their burrowing .
Go to Top Canal between Sibley and Lake Olmstead . Canal between Sibley and Lake Olmstead. Newly constructed access bridge near Lake Olmstead. This is Tin House Gate. Close up of gate structures on upstream side of Tin House Gate.