Photos top to bottom: town of Albion; Albion bridge; flood control; Hulberton bridge.

In Albion, we met Bob Russell, lift bridge operator. I asked him about the flood control gates we had seen and he told us as follows: in the event there is a leak in the canal wall or the wall is in danger of collapse or being breached for some reason, the flood control gate upstream is lowered allowing the water to flow out, exposing the problem so it can be fixed. I suggested that it would result in everything upstream of the gate to get flooded. He seemed to think that wouldn’t happen because the water flows slowly; the canal bank has enough height to accommodate a little more water; and the repairs would be made quickly. I’m not sure I buy it. The gates must let some water continue to flow through somehow. Perhaps a small space at the bottom?

Just past Albion we saw five deer in a small meadow next to the canal. They just stood there until one of them snorted and they all took off.