Lock and Dam No. 4
Encyclopedia
Lock and Dam No. 4 is a lock
and dam
located near Alma, Wisconsin
and Kellogg, Minnesota
on the Upper
Mississippi River
around river mile
752.8. It was constructed and placed in operation in May 1935. Its last major rehabilitation was from 1988 to 1994. The dam consists of a concrete structure 1367 feet (416.7 m) long with six roller gates
, 22 tainter gate
s and an earth embankment 5400 feet (1,645.9 m) long. The lock is 110 feet (33.5 m) wide by 600 feet (182.9 m) long. There were ten major injuries and three deaths recorded during construction of the facility.
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 Alma, Wisconsin
Alma, Wisconsin
Alma is a city in and the county seat of Buffalo County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 942 at the 2000 census. The city is surrounded by the Town of Alma. The motto for the city of Alma is: "Step into Living History."-Geography:...
and Kellogg, Minnesota
Kellogg, Minnesota
Kellogg is a city in Wabasha County, Minnesota, along the Zumbro River. The population was 456 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and 3.33% is water.U.S...
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...
752.8. It was constructed and placed in operation in May 1935. Its last major rehabilitation was from 1988 to 1994. The dam consists of a concrete structure 1367 feet (416.7 m) long with six 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 :...
, 22 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 and an earth embankment 5400 feet (1,645.9 m) long. The lock is 110 feet (33.5 m) wide by 600 feet (182.9 m) long. There were ten major injuries and three deaths recorded during construction of the facility.