The Text

The legislature shall not sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of the Erie canal, the Oswego canal, the Champlain canal, the Cayuga and Seneca canal, or the Black River canal; but they shall remain the property of the state and under its management forever. The prohibition of lease, sale, or other disposition herein contained shall not apply to the canal known as the Main and Hamburg street canal, situated in the city of Buffalo, and which extends easterly from the westerly line of Main street to the westerly line of Hamburg street, nor to that portion of the existing Erie canal in the city of Utica between the westerly line of Schuyler street and the easterly line of Third street, provided that a flow of sufficient water from Schuyler street to Third street to feed that portion of the canal east of Third street be maintained; nor shall such prohibition apply to that portion of the existing Erie canal in the county of Herkimer between the easterly portion of the village of Mohawk and the county boundary line between the counties of Herkimer and Oneida. All funds that may be derived from any lease, sale or other disposition of any canal shall be applied to the improvement, superintendence or repair of the remaining portion of the canals.