Emsworth Locks and Dam facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Emsworth Locks and Dam
Official name	Emsworth Locks and Dam
Coordinates	40°30′12″N 80°05′22″W / 40.5033°N 80.0895°W / 40.5033; -80.0895
Construction began	1935
Opening date	1938
Operator(s)	United States Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Gated
Impounds	Ohio River
Reservoir
Normal elevation	710 feet above sealevel

The Emsworth Locks and Dam is an important structure on the Ohio River in Pennsylvania. It's located just a short distance downstream from the city of Pittsburgh. This special structure helps boats travel safely along the river. It's made up of two main parts: a dam and a set of locks.

What are Locks and Dams?

River Navigation

Rivers like the Ohio River don't always have the same water level. Some parts might be shallow, while others are deeper. To make sure boats can travel easily, especially large barges, engineers build locks and dams.

How Dams Work

A dam is like a big wall built across a river. Its job is to hold back water and create a deeper, calmer pool upstream. This makes the river deep enough for boats to pass without getting stuck. The Emsworth Dam has two sections with gates. These gates can be opened or closed to control the water flow. One section is on each side of Neville Island.

How Locks Work

Locks are like water elevators for boats. Imagine a boat needs to go from a lower water level to a higher one, or vice versa. A lock is a chamber with gates at both ends.

• When a boat enters, one set of gates closes.
• Water is either added to the chamber (to raise the boat) or removed (to lower it).
• Once the water level inside the lock matches the level outside, the other set of gates opens, and the boat can continue its journey.

Emsworth's Locks

The Emsworth Locks and Dam has two different locks to help various kinds of river traffic.

Commercial Lock

One lock is designed for large commercial boats, especially barges. These barges carry many goods, like coal, grain, or oil, along the river. This lock is very big: it's 600 feet long and 110 feet wide. That's long enough for many barges to fit inside at once!

Recreational Lock

The other lock is for smaller boats, like those used for fun or recreation. This could be fishing boats or pleasure crafts. This "auxiliary" lock is 360 feet long and 56 feet wide. It's still quite large but smaller than the commercial lock.

River Traffic at Emsworth

The Emsworth Locks and Dam is a busy place! Every month, about 470 commercial boats use the large lock to move up or down the river. The recreational lock is also popular, with about 350 to 400 smaller boats passing through each month. This shows how important the Emsworth Locks and Dam is for both business and leisure on the Ohio River.

Building the Dam

The construction of the Emsworth Locks and Dam began in 1935. It took a few years to build, and it was officially opened in 1938. It has been helping boats navigate the Ohio River ever since! The United States Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District operates and maintains this important structure.