Eureka Lock and Dam

The Eureka Lock and Dam, 16 miles south of the Rodman/Kirkpatrick Dam, are part of the halted and unfinished Cross Florida Barge Canal. Unlike the Buckman Locks near the Rodman, these structures were never made fully operational. Because the project did not progress after 1971, the river south of the Eureka Dam was not destroyed by a reservoir like the Rodman Reservoir near Palatka.

A more than 60-foot-high, half-mile bridge towers over the structures, built to allow the large barges expected if the canal had been completed in the 70s. Remnants of the project including wooden fenders designed to project the bridge from anticipated barges and relic structures serve as a reminders of what destruction almost happened.

The partial restoration plan leaves these structures and the small fishing hole created in place. It also retains the small cuts created along the river once designed for aquatic weed maintenance equipment. These small channels are also known to be good fishing spots. This design minimizes restoration costs, avoid unnecessary construction, and keeps intact some areas for anglers.

Location

15698 NE 152nd St., Fort McCoy, FL 32134 (Eureka East Recreation Area)

Hours: 8 am to Sunset

Schedule: 365 days a year

Amenities: Bank fishing spot, no restrooms

Historic Significance

  • A Eureka Ferry served the river until the 1920s when a swivel bridge was installed.
  • The swivel bridge was operated until the 1960s when it was moved to Sharpes Ferry before the tall bridge for the barge canal was built.