The Jones Falls flooded on many occasions, bringing with it all the sewage, manure, street sweepings, etc. and dumping it into the Inner Harbor. The flood of July 24, 1868 was another wake up call to the City, that something needed to be done.

Many engineers were asked to come up with a game plan on what to do. Benjamin Latrobe and two others suggested to channel the Falls away from downtown, diverting it to Herring Run, at the mouth of Back River.

Throughout the years, other plans were also devised.