This is a list of locks and dams of the Ohio River, which begins at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers at The Point in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and ends at the confluence of the Ohio River and the Mississippi River, in Cairo, Illinois.
In the early days of steamboat navigation on the Ohio River the major physical hurdle that delayed travel was the Falls of the Ohio near Louisville, Kentucky. Steamboats could only maneuver over the falls during times of high water, which were not consistent. It was more practical for the steamboats to drop off passengers and freight on one end of the falls and transport them over land to the opposite end of the falls to another steamboat. This resulted in Louisville becoming a customary last stop for vessels on both legs of the Ohio. If a steamboat desired to travel unimpeded through the falls without waiting for high water, a canal and lock system was needed in order to circumvent the falls.
In 1825, construction began on that canal, and by 1830 the privately financed Louisville and Portland Canal was finished. The canal was constructed by hand tools with the help of animal-drawn scrappers and carts. The completed canal was two miles long with three locking chambers that created a total lift of 26 feet. [1]
The amount of coal transported down river from Pittsburgh jumped greatly following the Civil War. The size of the tows also grew with the amount of coal hauled. Due to the escalating coal trade, the US Army Corps of Engineers began studying methods to produce a reliable navigation depth on the Ohio. The Corps launched an international study to analyze other navigation projects worldwide. They determined that building a system of locks and dams to form pools was the best solution to the problem.
Following the opening of the lock and dam at Davis Island in 1885, the venture proved to be worthy. In 1910, the Rivers and Harbors Act was authorized by Congress. The Act allowed the production of a system of locks and dams along the Ohio. In 1929, the canalization project on the Ohio River was finished. The project produced 51 wooden wicket dams and 600 foot by 110 foot lock chambers along the length of the river.
During the 1940s, a shift from steam propelled to diesel powered towboats allowed for tows longer than the 600 foot locks on the river. This meant barges had to be locked in two phases. This operation was dangerous and time-consuming. It backed up river traffic and increased expenses for the towing industry. The Corps initiated the Ohio River Navigation Modernization Program in the 1950s. The program's purpose was to replace the system of outdated wicket dams and small locks. The new dams were non-navigable and made of concrete and steel. Each dam has two adjoining locks, one 600-foot by 110-foot chamber, and a 1,200-foot by 110-foot chamber to accommodate fifteen barges that can lock through in one maneuver. [2]
Dam produces hydroelectricity.
Replacement lock/dam facility.
Locks and/or dam are in the process of being replaced.
Locks and/or dam have been removed.
| RDB | Right Descending Bank |
| LDB | Left Descending Bank |
The Falls of the Ohio National Wildlife Conservation Area is a national, bi-state area on the Ohio River near Louisville, Kentucky in the United States, administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in partnership with Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Federal status was awarded in 1981. The falls were designated a National Natural Landmark in 1966.
The McAlpine Locks and Dam are a set of locks and a hydroelectric dam at the Falls of the Ohio River at Louisville, Kentucky. They are located at mile point 606.8, and control a 72.9 miles (117.3 km) long navigation pool. The locks and their associated canal were the first major engineering project on the Ohio River, completed in 1830 as the Louisville and Portland Canal, designed to allow shipping traffic to navigate through the Falls of the Ohio.
The Markland Locks and Dam is a concrete dam bridge and locks that span the Ohio River. It is 1395 feet long, and connects Gallatin County, Kentucky, and Switzerland County, Indiana.
The John T. Myers Locks and Dam is the 17th Lock and dam on the Ohio River located 846 miles downstream of Pittsburgh about 3 miles (4.8 km) downstream from Uniontown, Kentucky. There are two locks, one for commercial barge traffic that is 1,200 feet long by 110 feet wide, and the auxiliary lock is 600 feet long by 110 feet wide. This United States Army Corps of Engineers facility is in Posey County, Indiana, and Union County, Kentucky. The project was authorized as replacement for existing Locks and Dam 48 and 49 on September 17, 1958, by Secretary of the Army under authority of Section 6 of the Rivers and Harbors Act approved March 3, 1909, as amended.
The Louisville and Portland Canal was a 2-mile (3.2 km) canal bypassing the Falls of the Ohio River at Louisville, Kentucky. The Falls form the only barrier to navigation between the origin of the Ohio at Pittsburgh and the port of New Orleans on the Gulf of Mexico; circumventing them was long a goal for Pennsylvanian and Cincinnatian merchants. The canal opened in 1830 as the private Louisville and Portland Canal Company but was gradually bought out during the 19th century by the federal government, which had invested heavily in its construction, maintenance, and improvement.
The Cannelton Locks and Dam is a tainter-gated dam with two locks on the Ohio River, on the border between the U.S. states of Indiana and Kentucky. The dam is 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of Cannelton, Indiana. Construction of the locks began in July 1963. The locks began operation in December 1966 and were completed April 1967. Construction on the dam started in August 1965 and the dam was completed in 1974. The structure was designed, built, and is operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District.
Emsworth Locks and Dam is a combination of locks and dam on the Ohio River located just downstream of Pittsburgh. The dam has two gated sections, one on each side of Neville Island. There are two locks, one for commercial barge traffic that is 600 feet long by 110 feet wide, and the recreational auxiliary lock that is 360 feet long by 56 feet wide. Emsworth averages about 470 commercial lock throughs every month and 350-400 lock throughs a month on the recreational auxiliary lock.
Dashields Lock and Dam is a fixed-crest dam on the Ohio River. It is located less than 15 miles down stream of Pittsburgh. There are two locks, one for commercial barge traffic that's 600 feet long by 110 feet wide, and the recreational auxiliary lock is 360 feet long by 56 feet wide. Dashields locks averages about 450 commercial lock throughs every month and 200-300 lock throughs a month on the recreational auxiliary lock.
The Montgomery Locks and Dam are part of a lock and dam system that is located on the Ohio River in the United States.
New Cumberland Lock and Dam is the fourth lock and dam on the Ohio River, located 54 miles downstream of Pittsburgh. There are two locks, one for commercial barge traffic that's 1,200 feet long by 110 feet wide, and the recreational auxiliary lock is 600 feet long by 110 feet wide. New Cumberland locks averages about 320 commercial lock throughs every month and 120 lock throughs a month on the recreational auxiliary lock.
Pike Island Lock and Dam is the fifth lock and dam on the Ohio River, located in Yorkville, Ohio 84 miles downstream of Pittsburgh. There are two locks, one for commercial barge traffic that's 1,200 feet long by 110 feet wide, and the auxiliary lock is 600 feet long by 110 feet wide.
Willow Island Lock and Dam is the 7th Lock and dam on the Ohio River, located 162 miles downstream of Pittsburgh. There are two locks, one for commercial barge traffic that's 1,200 feet long by 110 feet wide, and the auxiliary lock is 600 feet long by 110 feet wide.
Belleville Lock and Dam is the 8th Lock and dam on the Ohio River, located 204 miles downstream of Pittsburgh. There are two locks, one for commercial barge traffic that's 1,200 feet long by 110 feet wide, and the auxiliary lock is 600 feet long by 110 feet wide.
Racine Lock and Dam is the ninth lock and dam on the Ohio River. It is located 238 miles downstream from Pittsburgh. There are two locks, one for commercial barge traffic 1,200 feet long by 110 feet wide, and the auxiliary lock, which is 600 feet long by 110 feet wide.
The Robert C. Byrd Lock and Dam, formerly the Gallipolis Lock and Dam, is the 10th lock and dam on the Ohio River, located 280 miles downstream from Pittsburgh. There are 4 locks: one for commercial barge traffic, 1,200 feet long by 110 feet wide; the auxiliary lock is 600 feet long by 110 feet wide; and there are 2 smaller parallel locks.
Greenup Lock and Dam is the 11th Lock and dam on the Ohio River, located 341 miles downstream of Pittsburgh. There are 2 locks, one for commercial barge traffic that's 1,200 feet long by 110 feet wide, and the auxiliary lock is 600 feet long by 110 feet wide.
Newburgh Lock and Dam is the 16th lock and dam on the Ohio River, located 776 miles (1,249 km) down stream of Pittsburgh.There are two locks. The main lock for commercial barge traffic that is 1,200 feet (370 m) long by 110 feet (34 m) wide, and the auxiliary lock is 600 feet (180 m) by 110 feet (34 m) wide.
Smithland Lock and Dam is the 18th lock and dam on the Ohio River, 919 miles down stream of Pittsburgh and 63 miles upstream from the confluence of the Mississippi with the Ohio. There are 2 locks for commercial barge traffic that are 1,200 feet long by 110 feet wide.
Lock and Dam 52 was the 19th lock and dam on the Ohio River. It was 939 miles (1,511 km) downstream of Pittsburgh and 23 miles (37 km) upstream from the confluence of the Mississippi River with the Ohio.
Lock and Dam 53 was the 20th lock and dam upstream from the confluence of the Ohio River and the Mississippi River. It was located 962 miles downstream from Pittsburgh. Lock and Dam 53 had two locks for commercial barge traffic, one that was 1,200 feet long by 110 feet wide, the other 600 feet long by 110 feet wide. The lock will be demolished and Olmsted Lock and Dam will replace it.