East Guard Lock

East Guard Lock. Schoharie Crossing. In front of you are the stone remains of the East Guard Lock, which date to the original Erie Canal. A key element to the canal's operation was controlling the amount of water entering the system. Too much water was more dangerous than too little., The East Guard Lock was constructed to control flood waters flowing into the canal from the Schoharie Creek. During periods of flooding, two sets of doors in the East Guard Lock could be closed to prevent the swirling waters of the Schoharie from washing away the canal banks. Under normal conditions, the doors would be kept open, leaving a clear channel between the Erie Canal and the creek., Most of the structures on the original canal were removed when the Erie Canal was enlarged. The East Guard Lock, however, was used throughout the 19th century as part of a feeder canal that channeled water into the Enlarge Erie. The lock was used for flood control into the 20th century. This photograph dates from the "feeder" era. Courtesy of the First Hunter Canal Society.