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Canal



Annemarie Gray
Washington University in St. Louis, 2009

Problem
Bayou Saint John, the waterway that connected historic New Orleans to Lake Pontchartrain, terminates at the underground Carondelet Canal. The canal's water is a hidden nuisance rather than a civic amenity, and its flows are not connected to the bayou. The ground above it, along Lafitte Street, is currently being studied as the site of a public greenway.

Proposal
The project re-exposes the Carondelet Canal, increasing its capacity and providing opportunities for slowing, retaining, and cleaning water. Charged by a connection to the old turning basin (or to the Mississippi River), the canal is brought into open connection with Bayou Saint John to increase circulation and improve water quality.