LOCKS AND DAMS

To achieve a 9-foot channel in the Upper Mississippi River, the construction of a system of navigation locks and dams was authorized in 1930. Dams are built on rivers to hold back water and form deeper navigation "pools." Most pools in the United States are maintained at a constant minimum water depth of 9 feet for safe navigation. Dams allow river vessels to use a series of locks to "step" up or down the river from one water level to another.

The Corps operates the locks and dams on the Mississippi River for navigation, not flood control. The locks and dams create slack-water pools for navigation during periods of low and moderate-level water. For each pool, there is a primary control point, where a predetermined water elevation must be kept for navigation to continue.

MOLINE LOCK

In 1907 the Moline Lock, which, with its approaches, forms a link in the six-foot channel improvement of the Rock Island Rapids and the upper river, was opened. It has been a great aid to navigation. In 1912 it was in use 234 days, during which time there passed through it 1.277 boats and 390 barges. These carried 12,229 short tons of freight and 7,749 passen­ gers. This was an increase of 360 per cent over the business of 1911. The lock has an available length of 325 feet, and a width of eighty feet.

In the early days the steamboats ran independently, competing freely with each other, the owner often being captain or master of his boat. It was not until 1857 that a line of boats was organized on the upper river. This was the Northern Line, operated between St. Louis and St. Paul by the Northern Line Packet Company with main offices at St. Louis.

 

Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois

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