The Gowanus Canal: Brooklyn’s “Lavender Lake” That Wasn’t Always So Pretty
- Dana at Vibe Tours
- Sep 17, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 29
At some point in the teens (not my teens, but the 20-teens), I was walking over the 9th Street Bridge in Brooklyn—right where the elevated subway rattles above Smith Street and the F/G line disappears into Carroll Gardens.
A friend of mine was smoking a cigarette (I know, I know) and casually turned to me and said:
“What do you think would happen if I flicked this butt into the canal?”
Those of you who’ve spent time around the Gowanus Canal likely just had a visceral reaction reading that.
Because you know.
The Canal That Looks Like It Shouldn’t Exist in 2026
On that particular day, the Gowanus had its signature purplish-green sheen—an iridescent surface that looks less like water and more like something you’d find in a broken industrial experiment.
That color isn’t accidental or poetic branding. It’s the result of a long legacy of industrial contamination, combined with stormwater runoff and sediment disturbance.
The canal has been widely studied and documented by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, which designated it a Superfund site in 2010 due to heavy contamination.
In other words: yes, your instincts are correct. You should not be flicking anything into it.
Kayaks, Real Estate, and the Brooklyn Multiverse
Not long after that walk, I saw two people kayaking on the canal.
And I remember thinking:
“Real estate agents really should be required to provide a disclaimer before showing apartments here.”
Because yes—this is now Brooklyn.
Somewhere between industrial wasteland and lifestyle branding.
For the record: kayaking the Gowanus is real. It’s even organized through local groups like the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club (https://gowanuscanal.org), who will gladly take you paddling for a small fee.
I personally would like to state, for the record, that I will not be joining you.
But I respect your courage.
And possibly your insurance coverage.
(FUN FACT: I live here now! Oh, the irony. I lucked out with a lottery apartment and who was I to say no?)
Lavender Lake: A Romantic Name for a Very Unromantic History
The canal is sometimes jokingly referred to as “Lavender Lake” due to its faint purple hue under certain lighting conditions.
But long before it was a punchline or a Superfund case study, this waterway was ecologically alive.
The area was once part of a vast estuarine system that supported dense oyster populations, which were a major food source for Indigenous Lenape communities and later New York settlers.
Historical ecological research from organizations such as the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and urban restoration groups confirms that New York Harbor was once one of the most productive oyster ecosystems in the world.
That ecosystem collapsed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as industrialization intensified along the canal.
As an oyster lover myself this remains - to me - the greatest crime in New York City's deep history of crime.
Today, there are ongoing efforts to restore parts of New York’s oyster population through projects like the Billion Oyster Project (https://www.billionoysterproject.org), though no one is currently suggesting you order them à la carte from the Gowanus.
Black Mayonnaise and the Myths of the Gowanus Canal
Locals love to joke about what lies beneath the surface.
And the phrase “black mayonnaise” has become the unofficial description of the canal’s sediment.
It refers to the thick, oxygen-deprived layer of contaminated sludge that accumulated over decades of industrial dumping and runoff.
When the EPA began remediation work after the Superfund designation, they confirmed that the sediment contains a complex mix of pollutants, including coal tar residues and heavy metals.
There are also persistent urban legends about what else might be down there. New Yorkers - myself included - love a good story, but some potential truths remain a mystery.
To be clear: while occasional debris and historical artifacts have been recovered, there is no verified evidence supporting the more dramatic stories that circulate locally.
What is true is that the sediment is dense, layered, and chemically complex—one reason cleanup efforts are slow and ongoing.
From Industrial Afterthought to Waterfront Real Estate
What makes the Gowanus so uniquely Brooklyn is not just its environmental history—it’s its current transformation.
The canal sits in one of the fastest-developing neighborhoods in the city, where luxury residential projects are rising alongside decades-old warehouses and auto shops.
The shift has been dramatic enough that properties once considered undesirable are now marketed as “waterfront living.”
Which is technically accurate.
And also emotionally complicated.
As of April 2026, the Thomas Greene Park cleanup is finally hitting its next phase, and while developers are calling it 'The Venice of Brooklyn,' those of us who know the 'Lavender Lake' history are watching closely.
You can read more about ongoing rezoning and redevelopment efforts through NYC planning resources here: https://www.nyc.gov/site/planning/index.page
So… Can You Walk There Today?
Yes. And you should.
The 9th Street Bridge remains one of the best vantage points over the canal, especially near sunset when the light hits the water in ways that make you question both physics and real estate pricing.
It’s a place where:
industrial history
ecological recovery
and modern development
all exist in the same frame.
Final Thought
The Gowanus Canal is not beautiful in the traditional sense. But it is honest.
It is a reminder that cities do not erase their past—they layer over it, market it differently, and eventually turn it into something you can kayak past while drinking a cold brew.
And if that date doesn’t go well?
Well.
The black mayonnaise is still there.
Sources & Further Reading
United States Environmental Protection Agency – Gowanus Canal Superfund documentation
New York City Department of Environmental Protection – Harbor water quality and restoration efforts
Billion Oyster Project – https://www.billionoysterproject.org
NYC Planning – https://www.nyc.gov/site/planning/index.page
Updated April 2026
