Lock and Dam No. 3
Encyclopedia
Lock and Dam No. 3 is a lock
and dam
located near Red Wing, Minnesota
on the Upper
Mississippi River
around river mile
796.9. It was constructed and placed in operation July 1938. The site underwent major rehabilitation from 1988 through 1991. The dam consists of concrete 365 feet (111.3 m) long with 4 roller gates
and more than 2000 feet (609.6 m) of earth embankment with a series of upstream spot dikes. The lock is 110 feet (33.5 m) wide by 600 feet (182.9 m) long.
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 Red Wing, Minnesota
Red Wing, Minnesota
Red Wing is a city in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States, on the Mississippi River. The population was 16,459 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Goodhue County....
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...
796.9. It was constructed and placed in operation July 1938. The site underwent major rehabilitation from 1988 through 1991. The dam consists of concrete 365 feet (111.3 m) long with 4 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 more than 2000 feet (609.6 m) of earth embankment with a series of upstream spot dikes. The lock is 110 feet (33.5 m) wide by 600 feet (182.9 m) long.