Lock and Dam No. 17
Encyclopedia
Lock and Dam No. 17 is a lock
and dam
located near New Boston, Illinois
on the Upper
Mississippi River
near river mile
437. Its main lock is 110 feet (33.5 m) wide and 600 feet (182.9 m) long with its bottom at an elevation of 518 feet (157.9 m). Normal pool elevation behind the dam is 536 feet (163.4 m). The movable portion of the dam is 1121 feet (341.7 m) long and consists of 3 roller gates
and 8 tainter gate
s. In 2004, the facility was listed in the National Register of Historic Places
as Lock and Dam No. 17 Historic District, #04000177 covering 869 acres (3.5 km²), 1 building, 3 structures and 2 objects.
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
and dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
located near New Boston, Illinois
New Boston, Illinois
New Boston is a city in Mercer County, Illinois, United States. The population was 632 at the 2000 census.-Geography:New Boston is located at ....
on the Upper
Upper Mississippi River
The Upper Mississippi River is the portion of the Mississippi River upstream of Cairo, Illinois, United States. From the headwaters at Lake Itasca, Minnesota, the river flows approximately 2000 kilometers to Cairo, where it is joined by the Ohio River to form the Lower Mississippi...
Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
near river mile
River mile
In the United States, a River mile is a measure of distance in miles along a river from its mouth. River mile numbers begin at zero and increase further upstream. The corresponding metric unit using kilometers is the River kilometer...
437. Its main lock is 110 feet (33.5 m) wide and 600 feet (182.9 m) long with its bottom at an elevation of 518 feet (157.9 m). Normal pool elevation behind the dam is 536 feet (163.4 m). The movable portion of the dam is 1121 feet (341.7 m) long and consists of 3 roller gates
Roller dam
A Roller dam is a type of hydro-control device specially designed to mitigate erosion. They are most often used to divert water for irrigation but the largest and most notable examples are used to ease river navigation.- Use :...
and 8 tainter gate
Tainter gate
The Tainter gate is a type of radial arm floodgate used in dams and canal locks to control water flow. It is named for Wisconsin structural engineer Jeremiah Burnham Tainter....
s. In 2004, the facility was listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as Lock and Dam No. 17 Historic District, #04000177 covering 869 acres (3.5 km²), 1 building, 3 structures and 2 objects.