the canal eventually extended west of richmond to buchanan by 1851. there, the plan was to link it to the james river and kanawha turnpike to provide passage through the most rugged portions of the mountains. the goal was to reach the kanawha river at its head of navigation, about east of today's charleston, west virginia. the portage necessary made competition with railroads along the same route a real threat. construction of a planned railroad there was delayed by the american civil war. however, both war damage and interruption in the flow of commerce along the canal did great harm to it.