Captain Anthony Meldahl Locks and Dam facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Captain Anthony Meldahl Locks and Dam
Country	United States
Location	Bracken County, Kentucky / Clermont County, Ohio
Construction began	April 1961 (dam)
Opening date	December 1964 (dam)
Operator(s)	United States Army Corps of Engineers Hamilton, Oh Utility Department (future electric plant)
Dam and spillways
Impounds	Ohio River
Length	1,756 ft (535.2 m)
Power station
Installed capacity	105 MW

The Captain Anthony Meldahl Locks and Dam is a special structure on the Ohio River. It helps control the river's flow and allows boats to travel safely. This dam is located at "mile marker 436," which is like a specific address on the river. It was named after Captain Anthony Meldahl, who was a famous river captain.

What is a Lock and Dam?

A lock and dam system helps boats move up and down a river, even when the water level changes.

• A dam holds back water, creating a deeper area upstream.
• A lock is like a water elevator for boats. It lets them go from one water level to another.

How the Meldahl Dam Works

The Meldahl Dam is very long, about 1,756 feet (535.2 meters) across. Part of it has a fixed weir. A weir is like a small wall that water flows over. Another part has an "open crest," which means water can flow freely over it.

This dam helps create a long, calm section of the river upstream. This section is about 95 miles (153 km) long. It covers a large area of about 21,700 acres (87.8 square kilometers). The United States Army Corps of Engineers operates and takes care of this important facility.

Making Electricity

The Captain Anthony Meldahl Locks and Dam also helps make electricity! A special power plant was built here. It uses the flowing water to create energy.

• This plant has three large turbines.
• Turbines are like big spinning machines.
• The water pushes the turbines, which then generate electricity.

This hydroelectric plant can produce 105 megawatts of power. That's enough electricity for many homes and businesses! The plant started working fully in 2016.