Wiconisco Canal

Wiconisco Canal
Aqueduct No. 3 over Powell Creek
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
Branch of	Pennsylvania Canal
Connected to	Susquehanna Division Canal, Eastern Division Canal, Juniata Division Canal
Northern end	Wiconisco Creek
- location	Millersburg, Dauphin County
- elevation	381 ft (116 m)
- coordinates	40°32′10″N 76°57′56″W / 40.53611°N 76.96556°W / 40.53611; -76.96556
Southern end	Susquehanna River
- location	Opposite the mouth of the Juniata River, Dauphin County
- elevation	335 ft (102 m)
- coordinates	40°24′03″N 77°00′49″W / 40.40083°N 77.01361°W / 40.40083; -77.01361Coordinates: 40°24′03″N 77°00′49″W / 40.40083°N 77.01361°W / 40.40083; -77.01361
Length	12 mi (19 km)
Original owner	Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Construction began	1837 or 1838
Date completed	1845
Date closed	1890
Number of locks	7
Status	Historic, abandoned
Map of historic Pennsylvania canals

The Wiconisco Canal was a 19th century transportation waterway, about 12 miles (19 km) long, in Dauphin County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Running along the east bank of the Susquehanna River between Millersburg and Duncan's Island at the mouth of the Juniata River, the canal overcame about 42 feet (13 m) of vertical lift through the use of 7 locks.

Started by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the canal was completed in 1845 by a private firm and used to ship coal and other goods from northern Dauphin County to distant markets. Sold to a subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Railroad, it continued operating until largely destroyed by a flood in 1889. The canal's biggest aqueduct, No. 3 near Halifax, continues to serve as a highway bridge over Powell Creek. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, as the Bridge in Reed Township.

The state began construction of the canal in 1837 or 1838. Originally built as an extension of the Eastern Division of the Pennsylvania Canal, the canal was designed by Samuel Krauss, engineer of the Eastern Division. Plans called for a dam at Clarks Ferry to provide water deep enough for canal boats to cross the Susquehanna River parallel to Clarks Ferry Bridge and to enter or exit either canal.

After the Eastern Division canal was completed, John P. Rutherford, who had managed the final stages of the Eastern Division work near Harrisburg, was named construction superintendent for the Wiconisco project. In 1839, Simon Sallade, who replaced Rutherford as superintendent, divided the canal into 25 planning sections to keep track of cost estimates, construction bids, and details about the work. Structures such as locks were bid separately from work on the canal itself and included a feeder dam on Wiconisco Creek at Millersburg and three aqueducts. Aqueduct No. 3, which carried the canal over Powell Creek and was the largest of the three aqueducts, was completed in 1840.