The most obvious threat to the C&O Canal is the Potomac River, which experiences a major flood, on average, every twelve years. Over the years, floods have wreaked tremendous havoc on the canal. In fact, the flood of 1924 left so much damage in its wake that canal operations ceased at that time for good. Inside some of the abandoned lockhouses you can still find evidence of high water, high up on the walls of the first story. Planning for the inevitability of future floods and making the park as sustainable as possible is a high priority of the National Park Service.

Though far less dramatic, other ecological concerns such as an overabundance of deer, the rampant spread of invasive species, and erosive stormwater from nearby developments all significantly harm the park.

Human Pressures

With five million people living in the greater Washington, DC, region, and another million projected to arrive by 2020, the park faces incredible human pressures. As more and more visitors arrive, there is great concern that they will inadvertently “love it to death” by placing too many demands on the natural resources to maintain the quality of the experience. Already there are significant problems resulting from park visitors’ activities: soil erosion from unofficial “social” trails, abundant litter, and the inadvertent spread of exotic species.

It has also been noted that because access to the park is so easy and generally free (the only location in the park to charge an entrance fee is at Great Falls) that many visitors view the canal not as one of NPS’s crown jewels, but rather as a neighborhood park. That’s why it is often called a “treasure hidden in plain sight.”

Declining Resources

It is well-documented that the National Park System has been grossly under-funded for years. The National Parks Conservation Association has studied the problem and found that, on average, our parks receive about 65% of the resources required to carry out their Congressionally-mandated missions. A 2001 study revealed, however, that the C&O Canal receives only 37% of the funds required to do its job.

With the centennial of the National Park Service approaching in 2016, there is hope that Congress will use the occasion to allocate resources to address the significant backlog of capital improvement projects and increase funding for annual park operations. In addition, there has been a proliferation of new “friends” organizations around the country—such as the C&O Canal Trust—that can provide philanthropic funds to help parks better protect and interpret their resources. All of these organizations share the belief that the future of our national parks will not be determined solely by Congress but by the community of people who depend on them for their well-being and quality of life.