ɪn dʒuːlˈaɪ tˈuː θˈaʊzənd sˈɪks, stɹˈɛtʃᵻz ʌvðɪ ˈoʊld kənˈæl wɪðˌɪn ðə pˈɑːɹk hædtə biː dˈæmd ɔːɹ dɹˈeɪnd tʊ ɪfˈɛkt ɹᵻpˈɛɹz ɔnðɪ ˈækwᵻdˌʌkt ˌoʊvɚ bˈʌtɚnˌʌt kɹˈiːk ˈiːst ʌv sˈɪɹɐkjˌuːs, wˌɪtʃ wʌz ɪn dˈeɪndʒɚɹ əvə pətˈɛnʃəli kˌæɾəstɹˈɑːfɪk lˈiːk dˈuː tʊ ʌnjˈuːʒuːəli hˈɛvi ɹˈeɪnz.
In July 2006, stretches of the old canal within the park had to be dammed or drained to effect repairs on the aqueduct over Butternut Creek east of Syracuse, which was in danger of a potentially catastrophic leak due to unusually heavy rains.