Lock and Dam No. 21
Encyclopedia
Lock and Dam No. 21 is a lock
and dam
located at Quincy, Illinois
on the Upper
Mississippi River
around river mile
324.9. The movable portion of the dam is 1265 feet (385.6 m) long and consists of three roller gates
and ten tainter gate
s. A 1400 feet (426.7 m) long submersible dike continues to the Missouri
shore. The main lock is 110 feet (33.5 m) wide by 600 feet (182.9 m) long there is also an incomplete auxiliary lock. In 2004, the facility was listed in the National Register of Historic Places
as Lock and Dam No. 21 Historic District, #04000181 covering 1075 acres (4.4 km²), 1 building, 4 structures, 4 objects.
Currently there is a study being conducted by the city of Quincy to convert Lock & Dam No. 21, 20, and 22 into being hydroelectric by 2016. (Source:WGEM)
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 at Quincy, Illinois
Quincy, Illinois
Quincy, known as Illinois' "Gem City," is a river city along the Mississippi River and the county seat of Adams County. As of the 2010 census the city held a population of 40,633. The city anchors its own micropolitan area and is the economic and regional hub of West-central Illinois, catering a...
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...
around 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...
324.9. The movable portion of the dam is 1265 feet (385.6 m) long and consists of three 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 ten 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. A 1400 feet (426.7 m) long submersible dike continues to the Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
shore. The main lock is 110 feet (33.5 m) wide by 600 feet (182.9 m) long there is also an incomplete auxiliary lock. 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. 21 Historic District, #04000181 covering 1075 acres (4.4 km²), 1 building, 4 structures, 4 objects.
Currently there is a study being conducted by the city of Quincy to convert Lock & Dam No. 21, 20, and 22 into being hydroelectric by 2016. (Source:WGEM)