New York's Dangerous Gowanus Canal Situation 

Hey everyone, I’m sorry the audio is messed up on this one, I’ve been living in hotels for over 2 weeks. The cool thing is that the episode was recorded in a literal castle. I’ll be back in the real studio soon! Thank you all for watching! - Socash

I grew up a few blocks fron the Canal. The smell back in the 1980's and early 90's was unlike anything I've ever smelled since. I would go as far to say that most young people that live in NYC today have never smelled such a stink! I still live in the neighborhood and can gladly say that the Gowanus Canal today is nothing like it used to be. Looks and smells much cleaner now. Compared to 30 years ago you wouldnt even believe that its the same waterway!

When I started working on a tugboat in NYC , the captain told me not to fall overboard in the Gowanus Canal or they wouldn't let me back on the boat. I always thought Newtown Creek was worse. But they cleaned up Newtown Creek to the point that I saw Cormorants diving for fish in it before I retired in 2009.

Ahhh the memories of Gowanus..when I was a kid back in the 90s my big brother used to have me thinking if I fell in there I'd come out a Swamp Thing a la what happened to Emil at the end of Robocop

Only in NYC can multi-million $$$ condos facing an EPA Superfund site spin that as "waterfront property". I've lived in Carroll Gardens near the Gowanus for 30 years and have seen the changes.

My friend, Jack Armstrong, swam in the Gowanus Canal just downstream from the Union St bridge in 2015 and is still alive today somehow.

I can still remember the horrible odor that originated from the canal when i was growing up in the area in the 1970's and 80's...

You should do one on the Kill van Kull/ Arthur Kill. The waterway between Staten Island and New Jersey. There was raw sewage pumped into that waterway for over 100 years from factories along it. Very high levels of PCBs and others. It was reported as being one of the worst polluted waterways in the US. There is some good news in the improvement of the environment reported due some efforts from NJ/NY. Hopefully there is a positive trend. Anyway, thank you for another informative video

It's a miracle the Gowanus Canal didn't suffer the same fate that befell Cleveland's Cuyahoga River back in the 70's as it was so polluted, it caught fire. ☣️

I grew up in Brooklyn and lived there my whole life and when I was a kid we use to bet people to go in and swim for five minutes no one ever had the nerve to take the bet

I work in the neighborhood, yes, lots of construction everywhere and the water is super smelly while you cross the bridges. I do hope it gets the continued clean up.

Great story. I lived in Carroll Gardens, and rode my bike across the Gowanus daily,on my way to Prospect Park. This was1989, and it did stink! The scent from a nearby coffee roaster made it palatable! When the tidal access was restored, it all improved dramatically. I remember riding the drawbridge on my way to the park, and being waved down by the drawbridge operator. He excitedly pointed out that he had see a crab! Alive! The bridge op saw this as a sign! I remained skeptical.

One pathogen you did not list is venereal bacteria! A few years back a car went into the Canal, the driver got out of the car before it went in. A passer-by not knowing this jumped into the Canal to rescue, only to find out nobody was in danger. He was admitted to the hospital and had to be treated, shots, etc. because anybody who is crazy enough to go in that water is required to get hospital treatment, according to the newspaper article I read at the time!

Gowanus is not connected to the Hudson River. It's below both the Hudson and East River in the upper bay. The gowanus is currently lined with multimillion dollar condos and a Whole Foods. Yes there's still some industry but that is shrinking while housing, entertainment and more craft type industries are growing. The intro makes more sense referring to late 20th century gowanus than the last 20 years

The name Gowanus means the sleeper or dreamer in the Lenape language/ It was where the Canarsie Indians did their ceremonies

our local mascot is a three-eyed fish

I used to live nearby the Canal. Upon walking near it, you could smell the odor of death coming from there. I didn't know the history of the canal until I watched this video. The story that we received was that there was no flow of the water and it was just a sitting pool with nowhere to go. Thanks for posting this video and clarifying the true nature of this site.

Thank goodness we had talented artists and illustrators from before the age of photography to show us what life was like in New York back in the day when it was still rural. The 'before and after' is startling.

The FDNY fire house in the area is called The Cancer House

My direct ancestor created the first mill on this site, and his mill is one of the pictures in the video. It’s cool to see that and I’d love to see this area become clean and vibrant again.

I remember several decades ago a whale 🐋 accidentally swam up the Gowanus & soon died ,we called him "Sludgie the Whale" a take on the Carvel icecream cake 🐳 called Fudgie the Whale

I will never forget the way it smelled while driving over the Kosciuszko Bridge on the BQE

Ryan, you skipped the part about how in 2010, Whole Foods Market paid over $4 million to help clean up the Gowanus Canal, so they could open their first store in Brooklyn.

They are cutting so many clean up corners to convert this area to housing. Residents will have so many serious health problems and there will be much litigation.

Once they fix the flooding in the area and get it up to a liveable standard that land is going to be worth a fortune.

Steps from the indstrial ravaged gowanus canal, in the heartland of america

Is it only me but I can see the word ANUS in Gowanus, which describes how it was treated for centuries

Only in NY would they build overly priced "luxury" apartments and get people silly enough to reside there.

Pathetic how this nation treats its waterways.

Another great video. I can appreciate all of the work that goes into these videos. Thank you.

Alright shoutout to majority report

Do you see at @ 6:14 that green building in the corner? Gone, you see the lots all around those blocks in the same frame? All gone, see the lots with the trucks? The next frame where you see all those white trucks? All these lots are gone, replaced with condos and high rent lofts. They’ve absolutely leveled this area without taking care of the water source right next to it. This should tell you about the greed in New York City, I live on Bond street within the 300s near Union street. I’ve lived here my whole life, I cannot tell you of another waterway I find more stinky, or more polluted than the Canal. My homies and me used to say if you fall in there you come out a ninja turtle. However if you do fall in there what you would need is immediate hospitalization. I wouldn’t ever call this a river or anything near a river. It is by far one of the most smelly things you will find in New York. Union street, (Carroll street used to have a bridge), and 3rd street all have bridges that go over it, tbh I would say that I’m so used to the smell that sometimes I can’t smell it, that should tell you something about my health. The truth is I love Gowanas, and Carroll park but I cannot continue to live here, tbh it has nothing to do with the canal! It’s the area in general, they have made this area condo city within the last 2 years out of nowhere, they’re pushing native New Yorkers out like me who can’t afford those kinds of rent, congestion, and bills. I love my little area next to the canal, but unfortunately I’m fleeing north brooklyn and trading it for south brooklyn. Thank you for making this video, my part of brooklyn doesn’t get enough love

Ya think any stolen guns or ones used in the commission of a crime were dumped in the canal? 😂

The person who started the first real effort to clean up the GC, was the great Buddy Scotto. Ive seen people jump in, canoe, even jet ski. There are even dormant fans under the water, As well as other things.

I grew up in Brooklyn, maybe a mile southeast of Gowanus Bay. I got out of there as soon as I could. I now live in the mountains of Teton County, Wyoming. Thank you for validating my reasons to leave.

I remember stories of a monster living in the Gowanus Canal from back when I was a kid. I always said anything that can live in there can't die.

It's been REALLY cleaned up & it's becoming a lovely waterway once again.

Good stuff thx 4 the efforts

A very timely history, and message for NYC.

I work in a studio in Gowanus and over the past year, several enormous residential towers have been constructed. Unfortunately, the water cleanup is not moving as quickly as the new construction. Architectural renders show people kayaking in the canal, but it still stinks and I will never touch that water. On the other hand, I watched a goose and a duck hunting thru the mud next to the Lowe’s parking lot

Really good doc! I’ve been to the Canals numerous times during my life. However, you did forget to mention a few interesting facts about the canal. For starters, the canal was instrumental in transporting much of the Brownstone used to build Brooklyn’s iconic Brownstone homes. Also, you didn’t mention sludgie the whale! Nor the beautiful Newtown creek nature walk along the canal. In addition, you will see ducks floating on the water from time to time. This signals that the water is getting cleaner, despite still being unsafe for humans. If you’re interested, check out an artist name George Trakkas. He was pretty influential in bringing attention to the canal back in the day.

I haven't been to NYC in years, and never heard of the river being mentioned. Thanks for the video. Cheers.

Hopefully, there's a future episode in the works for Newtown creek

Thanks NY for giving us the worlds largest living petri dish.

They need to build a temporary dam, drain the canal, and completely unearth the soil in it. Line the canal with metal/ cement walls and completely redevelop the area.

Hey, Majority Report! Their intro is what made me click on this.

Really enjoyed this video. Greetings from Slovenia, EU.

This just goes to show how absolutely fleeced we are as consumers. The most polluted areas on the east coast, is also one of the most expensive. Good job America.

You really should do a video about Cohoes NY and the water infrastructure and the mills and railroads and canals. The amount of history is incredible in this city and most of it has disappeared and is forgotten

Remember this river🤔😜🤪from All in the Family episode ‼️

You can make some spicy seltzer using water from the Gowanus canal

Reminds me of the bubbly creek down where the Chicago stockyards used to be! I remember seeing it gurgle on warm days years ago.

I love watching the CSOs ( Combined Sewer Overflows ) Especially when it rains as billions of gallons of raw sewage pours into the rivers every hour And the smell, you haven't lived till you smell the CSOs start flowing when it rains

8:48 pumping station at buttlerstreet😂 Nyc does have humor😂

That's free market economy 101, the freedom to pollute and passing on the burden and cost to the community.

You might hear some Brooklynites refer to that canal as “perfume bay”.

Don’t ever joke around and push someone in

I lived in Gowanus for years, right by the draw bridge on 3rd St and man, there were some days when you could smell it with every window and door shut. One of the saddest stories was about a dolphin that got trapped in the canal and died because there wasn't enough oxygen in the water. I miss and love NY but yeah... it's not for everyone... humans or dolphins.

Man, Sam Seder isn't kidding

Ryan, good product placement for LOWE'S, that and Home Depot my two favorite stores. The cannal would probably burn with the toss of a match like the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland did years back.

You should do a episode about dead horse bay

Im sure in the colonial days it was mainly a septic system with an occasional brown breads floating by.

The canal is fine. I swim in it with my children 3 times a week. We also catch eel in there and eat it every day of the week. My son is growing fingers on his face, and I'm wondering why.

'broadcasting steps from the industrially ravaged gowanus canal'. It's why Im watching this well presented tragic story, actually

Years ago I worked one summer in Long Island City. The scene at 0:05 was very nearby my walking route from the Hunters Point subway station.

Does anyone know what that red/brown brick with white trim building is on the poster for this video? It's rather elegant, considering where it stands.

Ah, so this is the canal mentioned in the Majority Report. “Steps from the industrially ravished Gowanus Canal in the heart of downtown New York”

I saw a piece on this water on Off Limits. Interesting.

Love that you mentioned Sam! That is why I clicked on this video

Flying over the canal in 3d on google earth is pretty cool. Some rough neighborhoods but neat industry as well.

Very good video. Actually, Sam Seder says "We are broadcasting live, steps from the industrially ravaged Gowanus Canal in the heartland of America - downtown Brooklyn, USA."

Excellent video. I had no idea that the Gowanus was 'that' nasty ! Would you also do a sister video about the Newtown Creek just to the north ? It has much history also. Aarre Peltomaa

So that stuff growing in the canal is basically a mutant monster. Creepy

i'm amazed that in a city like NY there is any brown field land left More housing lowers rents for everyone

When we were kids my friend used to jokingly refer to it as the Iguanas.

Thanks again for another interesting piece Ryan. I truly appreciate your attention to detail in each item that you bring us. I'm a huge history buff and enjoy just about anything I can get on different places around the nation and beyond! God bless! ~ Scott 💙🙏🏻

I believe Mad Magazine refered to this as the "Yecch Factor" back in the 70's. Always seemed completely plausible to me.

so much torque!

I would love to know how exactly this canal and the river are to be cleaned

You have to do one on far rockaway

Wish I lived back in those days. NYC is a cesspool now.

Is the new Gowanus bridge up sometime soon are is that too local?

Rest in peace. New York City !

Brown logs are still a hazard in the water

Went to NYC for the first time ever last year in December. I did not want to go to times square at all. We started by going to WTC then they wanted times square. Ended up leaving by 3. Im not going with the same people again

11:58 - Luis Scola lived there

Nice historical video, it’s amazing how the money allocated for improving Gowanus canal area was so little, yet the politicos managed to bypass the serious problem of Gowanus canal contamination by rezoning for residential use, crazy, the area still probably not fit to live in because of Gowanus canal. SMH!

It's a perfect metaphor for NYC.

Is there a chance you’ll ever do a video about Las Vegas?

My grandfather fought at the Battle of Gowanus Canal.

Clean water is not just a nice thing to have; it is essential.

Gowanus is a perfect metaphor for New York in general. Gross...

Despite its history the canal is cleaner than how it was years ago many new buildings have gone up around the canal. Even pig beach was a great place to enjoy the reclaimed building site. Unfortunately it closed due to its property being valuable for new construction.

Declaring the canal as a "super fun site" sounds like it should attract people rather than scare them away lol

So a bunch of politicians and their friends lined their pockets coming up with a stupid plan. Sad!

I can't believe it's dirtier than I thought!! 😭

Ferrara bros cement and Bayside fuel and oil were the MAIN traffic on the canal.

Wow, I used to fish there. 😮

I fell into that canal launching a kayak. I live to tell the tale (I still feat turning into toxic avenger though).

💛💛💛