The St. Johns-Indian River Barge Canal was a planned canal in the state of Florida, 35.2 miles (56.6 km)[1] in length and linking the Intracoastal Waterway and the Indian River 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Oak Hill[2] with the St. Johns River, originally intended to be just south of Lake Harney,[3] but later shifted to be near Lake Monroe,[4] with all but three miles of the route within Volusia County.[2] However, by 1968 the more southerly Lake Harney alignment had returned to favor.[5]
| St. Johns-Indian River Barge Canal | |
|---|---|
| Specifications | |
| Locks | 2 |
| Maximum height above sea level | 15 ft (4.6 m) |
| Status | Cancelled |
| Navigation authority | Canal Authority of Florida |
| History | |
| Principal engineer | Reynolds, Smith and Hills |
| Geography | |
| Start point | North end Indian River |
Originally proposed in the 1850s,[6] then again in 1909[7] and in the late 1930s,[8][9] the St. Johns-Indian River Canal Authority was established in 1960.[10] The canal would have been 125 feet (38 m) wide[1] and 8 feet (2.4 m) deep,[11] with three high-level and one bascule highway bridges, two bascule railroad bridges, two locks measuring 56 feet (17 m) by 250 feet (76 m), two navigation dams 56 feet (17 m) wide, and a pumping station.[1]
Combined with the Cross Florida Barge Canal, the canal would have provided a shipping route across the Florida peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico;[12] construction was planned to begin in 1968, with the canal to open in 1971,[11] however construction never began as delays to the Cross Florida Barge Canal project mounted, with the projected groundbreaking pushed back first to 1970,[13] then further, with conservation issues dogging the project[14] especially with regard to spawning shad.[2][5]
After the suspension of work on the Cross Florida Barge Canal, the St. Johns-Indian River canal concept was abandoned, and the Canal Authority was dissolved in 1973.[15][16]
References
edit- ^ a b c "River Canal Project Gets $27.5 Million Tag As Plans Grow", Daytona Beach Morning Journal, 24 June 1968
- ^ a b c "Propose New Canal Route To Save Shad", Daytona Beach Morning Journal, 18 June 1966
- ^ "Volusia Route Approved For Barge Canal", Daytona Beach Sunday News-Journal, 7 March 1964
- ^ "Proposed River Barge Canal Route Okayed" Daytona Beach Morning Journal, 23 May 1964
- ^ a b "Joins Three Counties In Canal Dist.", Daytona Beach Sunday News-Journal, 2 December 1968
- ^ "Disston Purchase One Heck Of a Deal", Lakeland Ledger, 18 October 1999
- ^ "St. Johns-Indian River Canal Is Discussed", Daytona Beach Morning Journal, 21 Aug 1946
- ^ "The State Of Affairs", The Miami News, 19 January 1935
- ^ "State News Briefs", The Miami News, 16 February 1939
- ^ "Corps' Canal Study Comes Under Fire", Daytona Beach Morning Journal, 22 October 1971
- ^ a b "Plans Laid for River Canal", Daytona Beach Morning Journal, 9 November 1966
- ^ "Need For Canal Is Stressed", Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 21 September 1963
- ^ "Canal Start Date Pushed By Agencies", Daytona Beach Morning Journal, 26 Mar 1969
- ^ "He Enjoyed Serving On Canal Dist.", Daytona Beach Sunday News-Journal, 9 May 1971
- ^ "St. Johns-Indian River Canal Kaput", Daytona Beach Morning Journal, 19 October 1973
- ^ "Canal District Gets New President", Daytona Beach Morning Journal, 4 December 1973