Lock and Dam No. 5A
Encyclopedia
Lock and Dam No. 5A is a lock
and dam
located near Fountain City, Wisconsin
and Goodview, Minnesota
on the Upper
Mississippi River
around river mile
728.5. It was constructed in 1932, placed in operation in 1936. Its last major rehabilitation was from 1989 through 2000. The dam consists of a concrete structure 682 feet (207.9 m) long with five roller gates
and five tainter gate
s with an earth embankment 22000 feet (6,705.6 m) long. Its concrete overflow spillway
is 1000 feet (304.8 m) long and its 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 Fountain City, Wisconsin
Fountain City, Wisconsin
Fountain City is a city in Buffalo County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 983 at the 2000 census.-History:Fountain City was originally called Holmes' Landing, after Thomas Holmes, who settled there in 1839...
and Goodview, Minnesota
Goodview, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,373 people, 1,375 households, and 966 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,947.2 people per square mile . There were 1,419 housing units at an average density of 819.2 per square mile...
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...
728.5. It was constructed in 1932, placed in operation in 1936. Its last major rehabilitation was from 1989 through 2000. The dam consists of a concrete structure 682 feet (207.9 m) long with five 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 five 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 with an earth embankment 22000 feet (6,705.6 m) long. Its concrete overflow spillway
Spillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...
is 1000 feet (304.8 m) long and its lock is 110 feet (33.5 m) wide by 600 feet (182.9 m) long.