Federal Dam (Troy) facts for kids
The Federal Dam is a special wall built by people across the Hudson River in New York. It connects the city of Troy on one side to Green Island on the other. The main reason for building this dam is to make it easier for boats and ships to travel on the river.
This dam is about 153 miles (246 km) up the Hudson River from where it starts as a major shipping route near The Battery in Manhattan. It also marks the very top part of the Hudson River's estuary, which is where the river meets the ocean's tides.
How the Federal Lock Works
To help ships move past the dam, there is a special water elevator called a lock at the eastern end. This lock is usually called the Federal Lock. Sometimes, you might see it called the "Troy-US Lock" on maps.
The Federal Lock opened in 1916. It has one main section, or "chamber," that can hold boats. This chamber is about 520 feet (158 meters) long, 45 feet (14 meters) wide, and 17 feet (5.2 meters) deep. It can lift or lower boats by about 14 feet (4.3 meters).
This lock is the first one ships reach when they travel from the Hudson River towards the Great Lakes using the New York State Canal System. Even though it's important for this journey, it is not officially part of the Erie Canal.
Both the Federal Lock and the Federal Dam were built and are still managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This is a part of the U.S. Army that works on public projects like rivers and dams.
