Upper Mississippi River
Encyclopedia
- See also: Mississippi RiverMississippi RiverThe 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...
The Upper Mississippi River is the portion of the 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...
upstream of Cairo
Cairo, Illinois
Cairo is the southernmost city in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is the county seat of Alexander County. Cairo is located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. The rivers converge at Fort Defiance State Park, an American Civil War fort that was commanded by General Ulysses S. Grant...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. From the headwaters at Lake Itasca
Lake Itasca
Lake Itasca is a small glacial lake, approximately in area, in the Headwaters area of north central Minnesota. The lake is located in southeastern Clearwater County within Itasca State Park and it has an average depth of 20–35 feet , and is 1,475 ft above sea level.The Ojibwe name for...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, the river flows approximately 2000 kilometers (1250 mi) to Cairo, where it is joined by the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
to form the Lower Mississippi River
Lower Mississippi River
The Lower Mississippi River is the portion of the Mississippi River downstream of Cairo, Illinois. From the confluence of the Ohio River and Upper Mississippi River at Cairo, the Lower flows just under 1600 kilometers to the Gulf of Mexico...
.
History
In terms of geologic and hydrographic history, the Upper Mississippi is a portion of the now-extinct Glacial River WarrenGlacial River Warren
right|thumb|210px|The course of the Minnesota River follows the valley carved by Glacial River WarrenGlacial River Warren or River Warren was a prehistoric river that drained Lake Agassiz in central North America between 11,700 and 9,400 years ago...
which carved the valley of the Minnesota River
Minnesota River
The Minnesota River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of nearly , in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa....
, permitting the immense Glacial Lake Agassiz
Lake Agassiz
Lake Agassiz was an immense glacial lake located in the center of North America. Fed by glacial runoff at the end of the last glacial period, its area was larger than all of the modern Great Lakes combined, and it held more water than contained by all lakes in the world today.-Conception:First...
to join the world's oceans at the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. The collapse of ice dams holding back Glacial Lake Duluth
Glacial Lake Duluth
Glacial Lake Duluth was a proglacial lake that formed in the Lake Superior drainage basin as the Laurentide ice sheet retreated. The oldest existing shorelines were formed after retreat from the Greatlakean advance, sometime around 11,000 years B.P. Lake Duluth formed at the western end of the Lake...
and Glacial Lake Grantsburg carved out the Dalles of the Saint Croix River. "The Upper Mississippi River valley likely originated as an ice-marginal stream during what had been referred to as the “Nebraskan” glaciation. Current terminology would place this as Pre-Illinoian Stage.
The Driftless Area is a portion of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
left unglaciated at that ice age's height, hence not smoothed out or covered over by previous geological processes.
Inasmuch as the Wisconsin glaciation
Wisconsin glaciation
The last glacial period was the most recent glacial period within the current ice age occurring during the last years of the Pleistocene, from approximately 110,000 to 10,000 years ago....
formed lobes that met (and blocked) where the Mississippi now flows, and given that huge amounts of glacial meltwater were flowing into the Driftless Area, and that there is no lakebed, it is assumed that there were instances of ice dams bursting. Considering the history of Glacial Lake Missoula
Glacial Lake Missoula
Glacial Lake Missoula was a prehistoric proglacial lake in western Montana that existed periodically at the end of the last ice age between 15,000 and 13,000 years ago...
, something like this is believed to have happened.
Characteristics
The Upper Mississippi from below St. Anthony Falls (Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
) downstream to St. Paul, Minnesota is a gorge with high limestone bluffs carved by the waterfall. Upstream of the waterfall the land slopes gently to rivers edge. Downstream of downtown St. Paul the river enters its wide preglacial valley. The states of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
and Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, along with the federal government, have preserved certain areas of the land along this reach of the river.
There are three National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
sites along the Upper Mississippi River. The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area
Mississippi National River and Recreation Area
The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area protects a and corridor along the Mississippi River from the cities of Dayton and Ramsey, Minnesota to just downstream of Hastings, Minnesota. This includes the stretch of Mississippi River which flows through Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota...
is the National Park Service site dedicated to protecting and interpreting the Mississippi River itself. The other two National Park Service sites along the river are: Effigy Mounds National Monument
Effigy Mounds National Monument
Effigy Mounds National Monument preserves three prehistoric sites in Allamakee County and Clayton County, Iowa in the midwestern United States.-Mounds:...
and the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is in St. Louis, Missouri, near the starting point of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It was designated as a National Memorial by Executive Order 7523, on December 21, 1935, and is maintained by the National Park Service .The park was established to...
(the Gateway Arch
Gateway Arch
The Gateway Arch, or Gateway to the West, is an arch that is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri. It was built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States...
in St. Louis).
DAMS
Driot-Arnoux Motorsport is a racing team from France, involved in many areas of motorsports. DAMS was founded in 1988 by Jean-Paul Driot and former Formula One driver René Arnoux. It is headquartered near Le Mans, only 2 km from the Bugatti Circuit.- History :The year after its foundation,...
. The structures were authorized by Congress in the 1930s, and most were completed by 1940. A primary reason for damming the river is to facilitate barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
transportation. The dams regulate water levels for the Upper River, and play a major part in regulating levels on the Lower Mississippi.
Ecology
On the upper reaches near the Minnesota-WisconsinWisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
border, the river's floodplain
Floodplain
A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...
is between 1.5 and 5 kilometers (between 1 and 3 mi) wide. South of St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, 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...
, the alluvial floodplain is approximately 80 kilometers (50 mi) wide. Major tributaries to the Upper Mississippi River include the Missouri
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
, Illinois
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
, Minnesota
Minnesota River
The Minnesota River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of nearly , in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa....
, St. Croix, Black
Black River (Wisconsin)
Black River is a river in west-central Wisconsin and tributary of the Mississippi River. The river is approximately 160 miles long. The river begins in central Wisconsin, rising in Taylor County at approximately west of the village of Rib Lake....
, and Kaskaskia
Kaskaskia River
The Kaskaskia River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in central and southern Illinois in the United States. The second largest river system within Illinois, it drains a rural area of farms, as well as rolling hills along river bottoms of hardwood forests in its lower...
Rivers.
The Upper Mississippi provides habitat for more than 125 fish species and 30 species of freshwater mussels. Three national wildlife refuges along the river cover a total of 465 square kilometers (285,000 ac). The largest of them, the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is a . 261 river mile long National Wildlife Refuge located in and along the Upper Mississippi River. It runs from Wabasha, Minnesota in the north to Rock Island, Illinois in the south....
, is over 420 kilometers (260 mi) long, reaching from the Alma
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:...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
area down to Rock Island
Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The refuge consists of blufflands, marshes, bottom-land forest, islands, channels, backwater lakes and sloughs. It is part of the Mississippi Flyway
Mississippi Flyway
The Mississippi Flyway is a bird migration route that generally follows the Mississippi River in the United States and the Mackenzie River in Canada. The main endpoints of the flyway include central Canada and the region surrounding the Gulf of Mexico...
.
Although the river is much “cleaner” than it was in recent decades, water quality is still a priority concern. Agricultural runoff, including sediment, excessive nutrients, (particularly nitrogen and phosphorus), and chemicals from agricultural and industrial sources continue to threaten Upper Mississippi River aquatic resources.In addition new threats continue to emerge such as personal care items including pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupting chemicals. The five states bordering the Upper Mississippi River are working together to address water quality issues.
There is general agreement that nutrients are contributing to the Gulf Hypoxia and eutrophication problems in Lake Pepin, a large natural riverine lake that is part of Pool 4 of the Upper Mississippi River. National and regional efforts are addressing these problems but nutrient impairment problems are occurring elsewhere in the Upper Mississippi River as well, particularly in off channel portions. Excessive nutrients contribute to thick floating mats of filamentous algae or duckweeds which have a pronounced negative impact on light penetration and may threaten the growth and persistence of submersed aquatic vegetation that is important for fish and aquatic life including waterfowl. Efforts to control nutrients from point and non point sources in the basin will provide additional benefits.
Navigation
Coon Rapids, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 61,627 people, 22,578 households, and 16,572 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,718.1 people per square mile . There were 22,828 housing units at an average density of 1,007.2 per square mile...
down to Cairo, has been made suitable for commercial navigation with a depth of 2.75 meters (9 ft). The agriculture
Agriculture in the United States
Agriculture is a major industry in the United States and the country is a net exporter of food. As of the last census of agriculture in 2007, there were 2.2 million farms, covering an area of , an average of per farm.-History:...
and barge transportation industries have lobbied in the late 20th and early 21st centuries for a multi-billion dollar project to replace the aging lock and dam system. Some environmental groups and advocates of budgetary restraint argue that the project lacks economic justification.
Each lock & dam complex creates a pool upstream of it. There are 29 locks on the Upper Mississippi maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
—from Upper St. Anthony Falls upstream to Chain of Rocks downstream. The locks provide a collective 123 meters (404 ft) of lift. Note that there is a Lock 5 as well as a Lock 5A. Note also that there is no Lock 23.
List of pools and locks
| Pool | Locality | Lock | Mile marker | (km) | Distance | (km) | |
| USAF Pool | Minneapolis MN | Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock Saint Anthony Falls Saint Anthony Falls, or the Falls of Saint Anthony, located northeast of downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, was the only natural major waterfall on the Upper Mississippi River. The natural falls was replaced by a concrete overflow spillway after it partially collapsed in 1869... | 854 | 1375 | |||
| LSAF Pool | Minneapolis MN | Lower St. Anthony Falls Lock Saint Anthony Falls Saint Anthony Falls, or the Falls of Saint Anthony, located northeast of downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, was the only natural major waterfall on the Upper Mississippi River. The natural falls was replaced by a concrete overflow spillway after it partially collapsed in 1869... | 853 | 1373 | 1 | 2 | |
| Pool 1 | Minneapolis MN | Lock 1 Lock and Dam No. 1, Mississippi River Ford Dam, officially known as Lock and Dam No. 1 is on the Upper Mississippi River and is located between Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota just north of the confluence of the Mississippi with the Minnesota River... | 848 | 1365 | 5 | 8 | |
| Pool 2 | Hastings MN Hastings, Minnesota Hastings is a city in Dakota counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota, near the confluence of the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers. The population was 22,172 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dakota County. The bulk of Hastings is in Dakota County; only a small part of the city extends... | Lock 2 Lock and Dam No. 2 Lock and Dam No. 2 is located along the Upper Mississippi River near Hastings, Minnesota and was originally built in 1907. The eastern dam portion is 722 feet wide and has 19 tainter gates. A hydroelectric station that produces about 4.4 megawatts is owned by the city of Hastings, while the 110... | 815 | 1312 | 33 | 53 | |
| Pool 3 | Welch MN | Lock 3 Lock and Dam No. 3 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 long with 4 roller gates... | 797 | 1283 | 18 | 29 | |
| Pool 4 | Alma WI 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:... | Lock 4 Lock and Dam No. 4 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 ... | 753 | 1212 | 44 | 71 | |
| Pool 5 | Minnesota City MN Minnesota City, Minnesota Minnesota City is a city in Winona County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 204 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:... | Lock 5 Lock and Dam No. 5 Lock and Dam No. 5 is a lock and dam located between Buffalo County, Wisconsin and Winona County, Minnesota on the Upper Mississippi River around river mile 738.1. It was constructed and placed in operation May 1935. The site underwent major rehabilitation from 1987 through 1998... | 738 | 1188 | 15 | 24 | |
| Pool 5A | Fountain City WI 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... | Lock 5A Lock and Dam No. 5A 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... | 728 | 1172 | 10 | 16 | |
| Pool 6 | Trempealeau WI Trempealeau, Wisconsin Trempealeau is a village in Trempealeau County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 1,529 at the 2010 census. The village is located within the Town of Trempealeau.-Geography:Trempealeau is located at .... | Lock 6 Lock and Dam No. 6 Lock and Dam No. 6 is a lock and dam located near Trempealeau, Wisconsin on the Upper Mississippi River near river mile 714.1. It was constructed and placed in operation in June 1936. The last major rehabilitation was from 1989 to 1999. The dam consists of long concrete structure with five roller... | 714 | 1150 | 14 | 23 | |
| Pool 7 | La Crescent MN La Crescent, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 4,923 people, 1,940 households, and 1,367 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,634.4 people per square mile . There were 2,014 housing units at an average density of 668.6 per square mile... | Lock 7 Lock and Dam No. 7 Lock and Dam No. 7 is a lock and dam located near Onalaska, Wisconsin on the Upper Mississippi River. It forms pool 7 and Lake Onalaska.The facility is located on Mississippi River mile 702.5 near La Crescent, Minnesota... | 703 | 1132 | 11 | 18 | |
| Pool 8 | Genoa WI Genoa, Wisconsin Genoa is a village in Vernon County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 263 at the 2000 census. The village is within the Town of Genoa. There is also a village named Genoa City, Wisconsin.-Economy:... | Lock 8 Lock and Dam No. 8 Lock and Dam No. 8 is a lock and dam located near Genoa, Wisconsin on the Upper Mississippi River near river mile 679.2. It was constructed and put into operation by April 1937. The site underwent major rehabilitation from 1989 through 2003.... | 679 | 1093 | 24 | 39 | |
| Pool 9 | Eastman WI Eastman, Wisconsin Eastman is a village in Crawford County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 437 at the 2000 census. The village is located within the Town of Eastman.-Geography:Eastman is located at .... | Lock 9 Lock and Dam No. 9 Lock and Dam No. 9 is a lock and dam located near Lynxville, Wisconsin and Harpers Ferry, Iowa on the Upper Mississippi River around river mile 647.9. The lower portion of Pool 9 was formally named Lake Winneshiek. The normal pool elevation behind the dam is . It was constructed and placed in... | 648 | 1043 | 31 | 50 | |
| Pool 10 | Guttenberg IA Guttenberg, Iowa -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,987 people, 837 households, and 534 families residing in the city. The population density was 962.3 people per square mile . There were 935 housing units at an average density of 452.8 per square mile... | Lock 10 Lock and Dam No. 10 Lock and Dam No. 10 is a lock and dam located in Guttenberg, Iowa on the Upper Mississippi River around river mile 615.0. It was constructed and placed in operation November 1937. The site underwent major rehabilitation 1989—2006. The dam consists of a concrete dam long with four roller gates and... | 615 | 990 | 33 | 53 | |
| Pool 11 | Dubuque IA Dubuque, Iowa Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653.... | Lock 11 Lock and Dam No. 11 General Zebulon Pike Lock and Dam No. 11 is a lock and dam located between Dubuque, Iowa and rural Grant County, Wisconsin, on the Upper Mississippi River. It was opened to navigation 14 September 1937. The movable portion of the dam is long and consists of 13 tainter gates and three roller gates... | 583 | 939 | 32 | 52 | |
| Pool 12 | Bellevue IA Bellevue, Iowa Bellevue is a city in Jackson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,350 at the 2000 census. The city lies along the Mississippi River , next to Bellevue State Park.... | Lock 12 Lock and Dam No. 12 Lock and Dam No. 12 is a lock and dam located on the Upper Mississippi River at Bellevue, Iowa, United States. The movable portion of the dam starts at the locks adjacent to the Iowa shore and is long, consisting of seven tainter gates and three roller gates... | 557 | 897 | 26 | 42 | |
| Pool 13 | Clinton IA Clinton, Iowa Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 26231as of 2010. Clinton, along with DeWitt, Iowa , was named in honor of the seventh governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton. Clinton is the principal city of the Clinton Micropolitan Statistical... | Lock 13 Lock and Dam No. 13 Lock and Dam No. 13 is a lock and dam located on the Upper Mississippi River above Fulton, Illinois and Clinton, Iowa. This facility offers visitors a view of the barges and boats locking through on the widest pool in the Upper Mississippi River.... | 522 | 840 | 35 | 56 | |
| Pool 14 | LeClaire IA | Lock 14 Lock and Dam No. 14 Lock and Dam No. 14 is a lock and dam located near LeClaire, Iowa on the Upper Mississippi River above Davenport, Iowa and Moline, Illinois. The movable portion of the dam is long and consists of 13 tainter gates and 4 roller gates. Connected to it is a long non-submersible rock fill dike which... | 493 | 794 | 29 | 47 | |
| Pool 15 | Rock Island IL Rock Island, Illinois Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities... | Lock 15 Lock and Dam No. 15 Lock and Dam No. 15 is a lock and dam located on the Upper Mississippi River. It spans the river between Rock Island, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa. Lock and Dam 15 is the largest roller dam in the world, its dam is long and consists of nine non-submersible, non-overflow roller gates and two ... | 483 | 778 | 10 | 16 | |
| Pool 16 | Illinois City IL Illinois City, Illinois Illinois City is an unincorporated community in the U.S. state of Illinois, across the Mississippi River from Muscatine, Iowa. It has a population of 125 people.It is in lower Rock Island County, on Illinois Route 92.... | Lock 16 Lock and Dam No. 16 Lock and Dam No. 16 is a lock and dam located near Muscatine, Iowa on the Upper Mississippi River around river mile 457.2. The movable portion of the dam is long and consists of 4 roller gates and 15 Tainter gates. The lock is wide by long. In 2004, the facility was listed in the National... | 457 | 736 | 26 | 42 | |
| Pool 17 | New Boston IL 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 .... | Lock 17 Lock and Dam No. 17 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 wide and long with its bottom at an elevation of . Normal pool elevation behind the dam is . The movable portion of the dam is long and consists of 3... | 437 | 704 | 20 | 32 | |
| Pool 18 | Gladstone IL Gladstone, Illinois Gladstone is a village in Henderson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 284 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Burlington, IA–IL Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Gladstone is located at .... | Lock 18 Lock and Dam No. 18 Lock and Dam No. 18 is a lock and dam located near Gladstone, Illinois and Burlington, Iowa on the Upper Mississippi River around river mile 410.5. The movable dam is and consists of 3 roller gates and 14 tainter gates. The lock is wide by long. In 2004, the facility was listed in the National... | 410 | 660 | 27 | 43 | |
| Pool 19 | Keokuk IA Keokuk, Iowa Keokuk is a city in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Iowa and one of the county seats of Lee County. The other county seat is Fort Madison. The population was 11,427 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the Sauk Chief Keokuk, who is thought to be buried in Rand Park... | Lock 19 Lock and Dam No. 19 Lock and Dam No. 19 is a lock and dam located on the Upper Mississippi River near Keokuk, Iowa. In 2004, the facility was listed in the National Register of Historic Places as Lock and Dam No. 19 Historic District, #04000179 covering , 7 buildings, 12 structures, 1 object. The lock is owned and... | 364 | 586 | 46 | 74 | |
| Pool 20 | Canton MO Canton, Missouri Canton is a city in Lewis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,557 at the 2000 census. Canton is the site of Culver-Stockton College, a small liberal arts college affiliated with the Christian Church... | Lock 20 Lock and Dam No. 20 Lock and Dam No. 20 is a lock and dam located on the Upper Mississippi River, about one mile upstream from Canton, Missouri.The structure is located at river mile 343.1. It includes a long dam, 40 tainter gates, 3 roller gates, and a lock chamber that is wide by long. There is also an incomplete... | 343 | 552 | 21 | 34 | |
| Pool 21 | Quincy IL 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... | Lock 21 Lock and Dam No. 21 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 long and consists of three roller gates and ten tainter gates. A long submersible dike continues to the Missouri shore. The main lock is ... | 325 | 523 | 18 | 29 | |
| Pool 22 | New London MO New London, Missouri New London is a city in Ralls County, Missouri, United States located at the intersection of US Route 61 and Missouri Route 19. The population was 1,001 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ralls County.... | Lock 22 Lock and Dam No. 22 Lock and Dam No. 22 is a lock and dam located near Saverton, Missouri on the Upper Mississippi River around river mile 301.2. The movable portion of the dam is long and consists of three roller gates and ten tainter gates. A long submersible earthen dike extends to a flood control levee on the... | 301 | 485 | 24 | 39 | |
| Pool 24 | Clarksville MO Clarksville, Missouri Clarksville is a city in Pike County, Missouri, United States. The population was 490 at the 2000 census.-Geography:... | Lock 24 Lock and Dam No. 24 Lock and Dam No. 24 is a lock and dam located near Clarksville, Missouri around river mile 273.4 on the Upper Mississippi River. The main lock is wide and long with its bottom at an elevation of 430 feet. The auxiliary lock is not operational. Normal pool elevation behind the dam is 449 feet... | 273 | 440 | 28 | 45 | |
| Pool 25 | Winfield MO Winfield, Missouri Winfield is a city in Lincoln County, Missouri, United States. The population was 723 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Winfield is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.... | Lock 25 Lock and Dam No. 25 Lock and Dam No. 25 is a lock and dam located near Winfield, Missouri on the Upper Mississippi River around river mile 241.4. The movable portion of the dam is long and consists of three roller gates and 14 tainter gates. A submersible dike extends to the Illinois shore. A long dike is part of... | 241 | 388 | 32 | 52 | |
| Mel Price Pool | East Alton IL East Alton, Illinois East Alton is a village in Madison County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,830 at the 2000 census.-Geography:East Alton is located at .... | Melvin Price Charles Melvin Price Charles Melvin Price was a longtime member of the United States House of Representatives. Most notably, he served as the chairman of the United States House Committee on Armed Services between 1975 and 1985. He lost this position at the beginning of the 99th Congress... Lock Melvin Price Locks and Dam Melvin Price Locks and Dam is a dam and two locks at river mile 200.78 on the Upper Mississippi River, about north of Saint Louis, Missouri. The collocated National Great Rivers Museum, at 1 Lock and Dam Way, East Alton, Illinois, explains the structure and its engineering.Construction began in... | 201 | 324 | 40 | 64 | |
| Pool 27 | Granite City IL Granite City, Illinois Granite City is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States, part of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area. At the 2010 census, the population was 29,849, making it the third largest city in the Metro-East and Southern Illinois, behind Alton and Belleville... | Chain of Rocks Lock or Lock 27 | 185 | 298 | 16 | 26 |
See also
- List of crossings of the Upper Mississippi River
- List of locks and dams of the Upper Mississippi River
External links
- Upper Mississippi Valley photo archive, a collection of images of the Mississippi Valley along the Iowa/Illinois border, from 1860s through the 1950s. Images are from regional library special collections.