USACE Cross Florida Barge Canal Failure (Inglis, Eureka and Buckman Locks)

Inglis Lock: (Satellite) 1970-1999. [TampaBay]

Lake Rousseau Dam (Satellite) The first dam was built in 1909 for hydropower.  [TampaBay]

Eureka Lock: (Satellite)

Buckman Lock: (Satellite)

Kirkpatrick Dam and Rodman Lake: (Satellite)

Work on the canal began in the 1930s as a WPA project, but funds ran out after three years of work. President Johnson authorized new federal funding in 1964. Environmental and pork-barrel voices became loud enough that President Nixon stopped construction in 1971. "At that point, the project was only 28% complete, with $75 million already invested." [FloridaMuseum]

"The project was not officially killed by Congress until 1990. After that, the lands were turned over to the State of Florida for preservation." [FloridaHistoryBlog]

The abandoned corridor became the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway, named after the activist who helped stop the project. 

FloridaMuseum

AmericanCanalSociety
The locks were 600' x 84', and 3 of the planned 5 locks were completed. 

FloridaMemory, this is from a detailed map of the canal, but I was unable to save the map.

It is interesting how some lock names have changed.

AmericanCanalSociety

352today

Lake Rousseau Dams

The original dam was built in 1909 to generate electricity for the phosphorous mining operations in the area. Today's dam was built in the 1960s by the USACE as part of the canal's construction.

hmdb
The hydroelectric plant operated 1909-65, and it had a capacity of 7.45mw.

steve prophater, Sep 2019

Eureka Lock

Facebook Reel

Kirkpatrick Dam and Rodman Lake

AnthonyMann Wexford, Jul 2023