List of locks and dams of the Upper Mississippi River

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Upper Mississippi River Lock & dam 6 Upper Mississippi River Lock & dam 6.jpg
Upper Mississippi River Lock & dam 6
Upper Mississippi locks and dams Upper Mississippi Lock and dams.jpeg
Upper Mississippi locks and dams

This is a list of current and former locks and dams of the Upper Mississippi River which ends at the Mississippi River's confluence with the Ohio River at Cairo, Illinois.

Contents

Locks and dams

NameLocationMiles above the OhioCoordinatesPool elevationNotes

Minnesota

Lake Itasca Stepping Stones / Dam Itasca State Park 47°14′23.2″N95°12′27.6″W / 47.239778°N 95.207667°W / 47.239778; -95.207667 Lake Itasca
1,475 feet
Stepping stones placed by CCC with creation of new channel / outlet for Mississippi
Vekin's Dam8 miles north of Lake Itasca 47°17′59.8″N95°14′30.0″W / 47.299944°N 95.241667°W / 47.299944; -95.241667 n/aWooden dam from the late 1800s [1]
Ottertail Power Co. Dam7 miles east of Bemidji 47°29′1.0032″N94°43′45.9156″W / 47.483612000°N 94.729421000°W / 47.483612000; -94.729421000 Lake Bemidji
1,335 feet
Knutson DamAbout 15 miles (24 km) east and north of city of Cass Lake 47°27′07″N94°29′00″W / 47.45194°N 94.48333°W / 47.45194; -94.48333 Cass Lake
1,301 feet
Winnibigoshish Lake Dam About 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Deer River 47°25′44.5″N94°03′6.8″W / 47.429028°N 94.051889°W / 47.429028; -94.051889 Lake Winnibigoshish
1,290 feet
Owned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, St. Paul District
Pokegama Dam Mile 1187 47°15′2.9844″N93°35′15.5184″W / 47.250829000°N 93.587644000°W / 47.250829000; -93.587644000 Owned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, St. Paul District
Blandin Paper Co. DamMile 1183.6 47°13′54.5628″N93°31′52.9500″W / 47.231823000°N 93.531375000°W / 47.231823000; -93.531375000
Potlatch Dam Brainerd, Minnesota 46°22′40.8324″N94°11′0.0816″W / 46.378009000°N 94.183356000°W / 46.378009000; -94.183356000 Rice Lake
1,174 Feet
Little Falls Dam Little Falls, Minnesota 45°58′32″N94°22′06″W / 45.97556°N 94.36833°W / 45.97556; -94.36833
Blanchard Dam Royalton, Minnesota 45°51′39″N94°21′36″W / 45.86083°N 94.36000°W / 45.86083; -94.36000
Sartell Dam Sartell, Minnesota 45°37′15″N94°12′13″W / 45.62083°N 94.20361°W / 45.62083; -94.20361
St. Cloud Dam St. Cloud, Minnesota 45°32′52″N94°08′50″W / 45.54778°N 94.14722°W / 45.54778; -94.14722
Coon Rapids Dam Brooklyn Park / Coon Rapids, Minnesota 45°08′36″N93°18′43″W / 45.14333°N 93.31194°W / 45.14333; -93.31194 No locks, ends navigable portion of river
Upper Saint Anthony Falls Lock and Dam Minneapolis, Minnesota ~854 44°58′54″N93°15′31″W / 44.98167°N 93.25861°W / 44.98167; -93.25861 799 feetLast lock upstream on river. Since June 9, 2015, the lock has remained closed to prevent the spread of invasive Asian Carp. [2] Located within the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area.
Lower Saint Anthony Falls Lock and Dam Minneapolis, Minnesota ~853 44°58′42″N93°14′49″W / 44.97833°N 93.24694°W / 44.97833; -93.24694 750 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, St. Paul District
Meeker Island Lock and Dam
(demolished)
Minneapolis, Minnesota / St. Paul, Minnesota ~850 44°57′14″N93°12′28″W / 44.95389°N 93.20778°W / 44.95389; -93.20778 NADemolished. Originally known as Lock and Dam No. 2
Lock and Dam No. 1 Minneapolis, Minnesota / St. Paul, Minnesota ~847.8 44°54′55″N93°12′02″W / 44.91528°N 93.20056°W / 44.91528; -93.20056 725 feetFord Plant Powerhouse on east side. Owned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, St. Paul District
Lock and Dam No. 2 Hastings, Minnesota ~815 44°45′35″N92°52′07″W / 44.75972°N 92.86861°W / 44.75972; -92.86861 687 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, St. Paul District

MinnesotaWisconsin

Lock and Dam No. 3 Red Wing, Minnesota 796.9 44°36′36″N92°36′37″W / 44.61000°N 92.61028°W / 44.61000; -92.61028 675 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, St. Paul District
Lock and Dam No. 4 Alma, Wisconsin ~753 44°19′32″N91°55′13″W / 44.32556°N 91.92028°W / 44.32556; -91.92028 667 feetThe lock is on the Wisconsin side right next to a small cafe. Owned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, St. Paul District
Lock and Dam No. 5 Winona County, Minnesota ~738.1 44°09′40″N91°48′39″W / 44.16111°N 91.81083°W / 44.16111; -91.81083 660 feetVisitor parking next to the lock. Owned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, St. Paul District
Lock and Dam No. 5A Goodview, Minnesota ~728.5 44°05′18″N91°40′08″W / 44.08833°N 91.66889°W / 44.08833; -91.66889 651 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, St. Paul District
Lock and Dam No. 6 Trempealeau, Wisconsin ~714.1 43°59′59″N91°26′18″W / 43.99972°N 91.43833°W / 43.99972; -91.43833 646 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, St. Paul District
Lock and Dam No. 7 La Crescent, Minnesota ~702.5 43°52′01″N91°18′26″W / 43.86694°N 91.30722°W / 43.86694; -91.30722 639 feetAdjacent to I-90 Mississippi River Bridge. Visitor parking and information next to the lock. Owned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, St. Paul District
Lock and Dam No. 8 Genoa, Wisconsin ~679.2 43°34′12″N91°13′54″W / 43.57000°N 91.23167°W / 43.57000; -91.23167 631 feetVisitor parking right next to the lock. Owned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, St. Paul District

IowaWisconsin

Lock and Dam No. 9 Harpers Ferry, Iowa ~647.9 43°12′46″N91°06′15″W / 43.21278°N 91.10417°W / 43.21278; -91.10417 620 feetParking area next to lock on Wisconsin side. Owned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, St. Paul District
Lock and Dam No. 10 Guttenberg, Iowa ~615.0 42°47′06″N91°05′42″W / 42.78500°N 91.09500°W / 42.78500; -91.09500 611 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, St. Paul District
Lock and Dam No. 11 Dubuque, Iowa ~583 42°32′25″N90°38′39″W / 42.54028°N 90.64417°W / 42.54028; -90.64417 603 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, Rock Island District

IowaIllinois

Lock and Dam No. 12 Bellevue, Iowa ~556.7 42°15′41″N90°25′12″W / 42.26139°N 90.42000°W / 42.26139; -90.42000 592 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, Rock Island District
Lock and Dam No. 13 Fulton, IL ~522.5 41°53′53″N90°09′21″W / 41.89806°N 90.15583°W / 41.89806; -90.15583 583 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, Rock Island District
Lock and Dam No. 14 LeClaire, Iowa ~493.2 41°34′24″N90°23′56″W / 41.57333°N 90.39889°W / 41.57333; -90.39889 572 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, Rock Island District
Lock and Dam No. 15 Rock Island, Illinois ~482.8 41°31′07″N90°34′08″W / 41.51861°N 90.56889°W / 41.51861; -90.56889 561 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, Rock Island District
Lock and Dam No. 16 Muscatine, Iowa ~457.2 41°25′32″N91°0′35″W / 41.42556°N 91.00972°W / 41.42556; -91.00972 545 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, Rock Island District
Lock and Dam No. 17 New Boston, Illinois ~437 41°11′27″N91°03′37″W / 41.19083°N 91.06028°W / 41.19083; -91.06028 536 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, Rock Island District
Lock and Dam No. 18 Gladstone, Illinois ~410.5 40°52′54″N91°01′27″W / 40.88167°N 91.02417°W / 40.88167; -91.02417 528 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, Rock Island District
Lock and Dam No. 19 Keokuk, Iowa ~364 40°23′41″N91°22′29″W / 40.39472°N 91.37472°W / 40.39472; -91.37472 518 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, Rock Island District

MissouriIllinois

Lock and Dam No. 20 Canton, Missouri ~343 40°08′37″N91°30′46″W / 40.14361°N 91.51278°W / 40.14361; -91.51278 480 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, Rock Island District
Lock and Dam No. 21 Quincy, Illinois ~324.9 39°54′23″N91°25′56″W / 39.90639°N 91.43222°W / 39.90639; -91.43222 470 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, Rock Island District
Lock and Dam No. 22 Saverton, Missouri ~301.2 39°38′18″N91°14′49″W / 39.63833°N 91.24694°W / 39.63833; -91.24694 460 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, Rock Island District
Lock and Dam No. 24 Clarksville, Missouri ~273.4 39°22′36″N90°54′30″W / 39.37667°N 90.90833°W / 39.37667; -90.90833 449 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, St. Louis District
Lock and Dam No. 25 Winfield, Missouri ~241.4 39°00′17″N90°41′11″W / 39.00472°N 90.68639°W / 39.00472; -90.68639 434 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, St. Louis District
Lock and Dam No. 26 (historical) Alton, Illinois ~202.5 38°53′10″N90°10′55″W / 38.88611°N 90.18194°W / 38.88611; -90.18194 419 feetDemolished, replaced by Melvin Price Locks and Dam.
Melvin Price Locks and Dam
aka Lock and Dam No. 26
East Alton, Illinois ~200.8 38°52′09″N90°09′13″W / 38.86917°N 90.15361°W / 38.86917; -90.15361 Owned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, St. Louis District
Chain of Rocks Dam
aka Dam No. 27
Glasgow Village, Missouri ~190.2 38°45′27″N90°10′39″W / 38.75750°N 90.17750°W / 38.75750; -90.17750 398 feetOwned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, St. Louis District
Chain of Rocks Lock
aka Lock No. 27
Granite City, Illinois 38°42′11″N90°10′51″W / 38.70306°N 90.18083°W / 38.70306; -90.18083 Owned/operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, St. Louis District

Expansion proposals for upper Mississippi locks

The Army Corps of Engineers has studied the expansion of some locks on the Upper Mississippi. [3] Since at least 1999, the Corps has considered expanding 600 ft locks 20, 21, 22, 24, and 25 to 1,200 ft. [3] [4]

Gallery

See also

References

  1. Weeks, John. "Vekins Dam" . Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  2. Sepic, Matt. "End of an era: Upper St. Anthony Falls lock closes". MPR News. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Big Price - Little Benefit (The case against lock expansion on the Mississippi River)" (PDF). Nicollet Island Coalition. February 2010.
  4. "Lock System Expansion Proposal is Aired". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Associated Press. August 8, 1999.