Chain of Rocks Lock
| Chain of Rocks Lock | |
|---|---|
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| Basic data | |
| Places: |
Granite City , Illinois Madison , Illinois |
| Geographical coordinates: | 38 ° 42 '11 " N , 90 ° 10' 51" W. |
| Construction time: | 1947-1964 |
| Chain of Rocks Canal | |
| Length: | 13.5 km |
| Construction time : | 1949-1953 |
| Lock chambers | |
| usable length (1): | 365.80 m |
| usable width (1): | 33.50 m |
| usable length (2): | 182.90 m |
| usable width (2): | 33.50 m |
Chain of Rocks Lock ( Chain of Rocks Lock , also known as Locks # 27 ) is the lowest of 29 locks on the Upper Mississippi and the only one below the Missouri Estuary . The lock is located on the Chain of Rocks Canal , the one not navigable section, the "Chain of Rocks" (Eng .: rocky hills , bypasses) in the main channel of the Mississippi. The structure, built between 1947 and 1964 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers , is located between Granite City and Madison in Madison County , Illinois, on both sides of the canal . The lock is located in the eastern part of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan region, known as Metro-East , around the city of St. Louis in neighboring Missouri .
Chain of rocks
A few miles below the mouth of the Missouri, between the northeastern boroughs of St. Louis and Madison County, Illinois, is a non-navigable section of the Mississippi. A group of rocks, the Chain of Rocks, forms strong rapids at low tide and thus an obstacle for navigation.
In addition to this natural obstacle, more rocks were piled up, so that a kind of natural weir was created. This partly natural and partly artificial damming of the water made it possible to reach a water level above this point that was sufficient for shipping.
Canal and lock
The Chain of Rocks Canal, opened in 1953, begins just below the Missouri estuary and runs for 13.5 km through Madison County in Illinois.
The lock is at the southern end of the canal . This consists of two chambers, the 365.8 m long main chamber and the 182.9 m long second lock chamber. The width is 33.5 m each.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Google Maps.Retrieved July 19, 2012
- ^ John A. Weeks III Chain of Rocks Canal. Retrieved July 19, 2012
Web links
Coordinates: 38 ° 42 ′ 11 " N , 90 ° 10 ′ 51" W.