Lock & Dam #5
Mississippi River Lock & Dam
Minnesota City, Minnesota

Lock & Dam #5

• Structure: Lock & Dam #5.
• Location: River Mile 738.1.
• Dam Width: 20,000 Feet Overall, 1,619 Foot Wide Dam Structure.
• River Elevation (Pool): 660 Feet.
• River Elevation (Outflow): 651 Feet.
• Water Fall: 9 Feet.
• Annual Lock Traffic: 8,246 Vessels, 8,497,000 Tons (2005).
• Date Opened: May 1935.
This dam structure features an unusually long earth embankment that runs more than 18,000 feet long. The embankment runs upriver along the Wisconsin side for over 3 miles before it turns east to cross the river channel. This has the effect of creating a large amount of wet lands area behind the embankment that only sees a water inflow during times of very high water.

Lock & Dam #5
Lock & Dam #5
Lock & Dam #5
Lock & Dam #5
Lock & Dam #5

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Photo and text by John A. Weeks III, Copyright © 2005, all rights reserved.
For further information, contact: john@johnweeks.com