Morgantown Lock and Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Morgantown Lock and Dam |
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| Location | Morgantown, West Virginia |
| Coordinates | 39°37′10″N 79°58′03″W / 39.61944°N 79.96750°W |
| Construction began | 1948 |
| Opening date | 1950 |
| Operator(s) | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District |
The Morgantown Lock and Dam is an important structure on the Monongahela River in Morgantown, West Virginia. It includes a special water elevator called a navigational lock and a dam with gates. This dam helps control the river's water level.
It is one of several dams that make the Monongahela River deep enough for boats to travel easily. The river is kept at least 9 feet deep all the way from Fairmont, West Virginia, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Pittsburgh takes care of this dam.
The Morgantown Lock has one main section, called a lock chamber. It is located on the left side of the river as you look downstream. The water above the dam, called the upper pool, stretches about 6 miles upstream to the Hildebrand Lock and Dam. The water below the dam, called the downstream pool, is about 11.2 miles long and is formed by the Point Marion Lock and Dam.
Building the Morgantown Dam
Building the Morgantown Lock and Dam started in 1948. It was finished and opened in 1950. This new structure replaced older locks, known as Locks 10 and 11.
These older locks were made from wood and were built between 1897 and 1903. The modern Morgantown Lock and Dam helps boats move along the river much more easily and safely.
