Opekiska Lock and Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Opekiska Lock and Dam |
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| Location | Monongalia County, West Virginia, USA |
| Coordinates | 39°33′48″N 80°02′59″W / 39.56333°N 80.04972°W |
| Construction began | 1961 |
| Opening date | 1964 |
| Operator(s) | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Impounds | Monongahela River |
The Opekiska Lock and Dam is a special structure on the Monongahela River in Lowsville, West Virginia. It includes a navigational lock and a gated dam. A lock is like a water elevator that helps boats move between different water levels. A dam holds back water to create a deeper part of the river.
This lock and dam is part of a system that makes the Monongahela River deep enough for boats. The river is kept at least 9 feet deep along its entire length. This helps boats travel from Fairmont, West Virginia, all the way to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Pittsburgh takes care of the Opekiska Lock and Dam.
The Opekiska Lock has one chamber for boats. This chamber is located on the right side of the river. The water held back by the dam stretches about 13 miles upstream. This deep water reaches towards the river's start near Fairmont, West Virginia. The deep water also extends into the Monongahela's two main smaller rivers, the Tygart Valley River and the West Fork River. Downstream from Opekiska, another dam called Hildebrand Lock and Dam creates the next deep section of the river, which is about 7.4 miles long.
History of Opekiska Lock and Dam
Building the Opekiska Lock and Dam started in 1961. It was finished and opened in 1964. This new structure replaced two older ones called Locks 14 and 15. Those old locks were made of timber and were completed around 1903.
In October 2012, the Opekiska Lock was closed to boat traffic on weekends. This was due to money issues. However, in 2015, a group called the Upper Monongahela River Association began to help. They provided money to keep the locks open during the summer months on weekends. This allowed more boats to use the river for fun and travel.
