Ohio River
Locks and Dams

Current Conditions

Belleville Locks and Dam

The Huntington District is home to the Belleville Locks and Dam located on the Ohio River at mile 204. Belleville Locks sit 203.9 miles below Pittsburgh, PA, and 0.5 miles below Belleville, WV.

The two navigation locks are located on the right bank (Ohio side) of the river. The upper pool maintained above the dam extends upstream for a distance of 42.2 miles to Willow Island Dam.

Construction Began in May 1962 and work is now completed. Construction of the locks was initiated in June 1963 and they were placed in operation 12 October 1965. The dam was started in September 1964 and the pool was raised to full height 1 November 1968.

Belleville Locks and Dam is also home to the Belleville Hydroelectric Facility, which went online in April 1999.

Authority
River and Harbor Act of 3 March 1909, Sixtieth Congress, 2nd Session.
 
Cost
Estimated construction $76,520,800.
 
Dam
Non-navigable, high-lift, gated dam, top length 1,128' including 111-foot fixed weir with 84-foot open crest. Eight tainter gates, clear span 110' between piers, damming height 26' above sills, clearance above maximum high water when fully raised approximately 5'.
 
Easements
Of an estimated 1,750 acres in the project, approximately 92.8 acres fee required for the lock site, 32.1 acres fee at the abutment site, 13.3 acres fee for recreation site, .06 acre fee at radio site and flowage easements or other lesser interests over the remaining area.
 
Hydroelectric
N/A
 
Locks
Two parallel locks, main lock 110' by 1200', auxiliary lock 110' by 600', miter service gates, vertical-lift emergency gates.
 
Net Land Owned
92.8 acres fee at lock site. 32.1 acres fee at abutment site. 13.3 acres fee at recreation sites. 0.06 acres fee at radio relay site. 1612.1 acres flowage easements which includes 63.12 acres flowage rights by special use permit from D.O.A., U.S. Forest Service.
 
Pools
Normal upper pool elevation 602.0' m.s.l., upper pool length 35.3 miles to Hannibal Dam, normal upper pool surface area 6,400 acres, normal lower pool elevation 582.0' m.s.l., (upper pool of Belleville Dam) normal lift 20.0'.
 
Relocations
No extensive relocations necessary, but remedial measures required to adapt certain facilities to new pool conditions. Facilities include railroad and highway drainage structures and embankment slopes, municipal sewer outfalls and water intakes, pipe lines, power and communication lines, and water terminals.
 
Status
Construction began in January 1967 and the total project is 100 percent complete. The locks construction contract was awarded in October 1968 and placed in operation in January 1972. Dam construction was initiated in December 1971 and completed in 1976. The pool was raised to full height in September 1975.

Contact Information
740-374-8710
 
 

How To Find Us
Ohio River, 161.7 miles downstream from Pittsburgh, PA, and 3.4 miles upstream from Waverly, WV, replaced Locks and Dams Nos. 15, 16 and 17.
 

 


Recreation
Three recreation areas are existing or proposed for development
   

Captain Anthony Meldahl Locks and Dam

General Information
Meldahl Locks and Dam are located at mile 436 of the Ohio River in Felicity, Ohio.
 
Authority
River and Harbor Act of 3 March 1909, Sixtieth Congress, 2nd Session.
 
Cost
Estimated construction $74,082,900.
 
Dam
Non-navigable, high-lift, gated dam, top length 1,756' including 372-foot fixed weir with 310-foot open crest. Twelve tainter gates, clear span 100' between 14-Foot intermediate piers and 15-foot end piers, damming height 35' above sills, clearance above maximum high water when fully raised approximately 5'. There are two types of gates, submergible and non-submergible ogee sill units.
 
Easements
N/A
 
Hydroelectric
N/A
 
Locks
Two parallel locks, main lock 110' by 1,200', auxiliary lock 110' by 600', miter service gates, vertical-lift emergency gates.
 
Net Land Owned
198.4 acres fee at lock site. 81.4 acres fee at abutment site. 168.5 acres fee at recreation sites. 0.06 acres fee at FM radio facility site. 6,049.7 acres easements.
 
Pools
Normal upper pool elevation 485.0 m.s.l., upper pool length 95.2 miles to Greenup Dam, normal upper pool surface area 21,700 acres, normal lower pool elevation 455.0' m.s.l., (upper pool of Markland Dam), normal lift 30.0'.
 
Relocations
No extensive relocations necessary, but remedial measures required to adapt certain facilities to new pool conditions. Facilities include railroad and highway drainage structures and embankment slopes, municipal and industrial sewer outfalls and water intakes.
 
Status
Construction of the project was initiated in April 1958. Construction of the locks was started in March 1959 and they were placed in operation in November 1962. Construction of the dam was started in April 1961 and it was placed in operation 22 December 1964. The pool was raised to full height 31 March 1965.

Contact Information

513-876-2921


How To Find Us

Ohio River, 436.2 miles below Pittsburgh, PA, and 1.7 miles below Chilo, OH. Replaced locks and dams Nos. 31, 32, 33 and 34 on Ohio River.


Recreation

A total of 11 public recreation areas either existing or proposed for development. (See R/H 1-A for locations and status).

 

Restricted Areas


 

Greenup Locks and Dam

General Information
The locks were open to navigation in 1962.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers replaced a set of aging gates at the Greenup Locks and Dam in 2012 at a cost of approximately $12 million.
 
Authority
River and Harbor Act of 3 March 1909, Sixtieth Congress, 2nd Session.
 
Cost
Lock Replacement $244,550,000;Dam Rehabilitation $ 46,700,000; Fish Hatchery Mitigation $13,800,000
 
Dam
Non-navigable, high-lift, moveable gated dam, top length 1,287ft, including 245-foot fixed weir with 223-foot open crest. Nine tainter gates, clear span 100ft between 14-foot intermediate piers and 15-foot end piers, damming height 35ft above sills, clearance above maximum high water when fully raised approximately 5ft. The dam gates are non-submergible ogee sill units.
 
Easements
Of 3,258 acres in the project, approximately 166 acres fee required for the lock site, 45 acres fee for the abutment sites, 96 acres fee for recreation sites, 305 acres pondage easements were assigned to the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Company and State Highway Department and Armco Steel Corporation and the City of Ashland, Kentucky, and Stowage easements or other lesser interests over the remaining area. In addition, 11.38 acres fee reassigned from old lock and dam sites.
 
Hydroelectric
The City of Hamilton, Ohio operates the hydroelectric plant of the Ohio abutment of Greenup Dam. The plant includes three turbines with total capacity of 70,000 kilowatts. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued License Number 2641 for the project on 29 March 1976. The project was placed in commercial operation on 7 December 1982. The entire generating structure is a watertight, steel-plate enclosure constructed in dry dock at St. Nazaire, France. The structure was shipped across the Atlantic Ocean, unloaded and towed to the site via the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.
 
Locks
Two parallel locks, main lock 110ft by 1,200ft, auxiliary lock 110ft by 600ft, miter service gates, vertical-lift emergency gates.
 
Net Land Owned
166 acres fee at lock site, 10 acres fee at abutment site, 50 acres fee at recreation site, 1,801 acres flowage easements.
 
Pools
Normal upper pool elevations 515.0 feet m.s.l., upper pool length 61.8 miles to Robert C. Byrd Locks & Dam, normal upper pool surface area 11,200 acres, nominal lower pool elevation 485.0 feet m.s.l., (upper pool of Captain Anthony Meldahl Dam), normal lift 30.0 feet.
 
Relocations
No extensive relocations necessary, but remedial measures required to adapt certain facilities to new pool conditions. Facilities include railroad and highway drainage structures and embankment slopes, municipal sewer outtakes and water intakes, pipe lines, power and communication lines, and waterway terminals.
 
Status
Construction began in October 1954. The locks were initiated in October 1955 and were placed in operation 27 November 1959. Construction of the dam began in June 1958 and the pool was raised to full height 4 June 1962.
 
Structures
Highway bridge across the dam is completed. Hydroelectric Plant is completed.
Contact Information

606-473-7441


How To Find Us
Ohio River, 341.0 miles below Pittsburgh, PA, and 5.0 miles below Greenup, KY. Replaced locks and dams Nos. 27,28,29 and 30 on Ohio River and No. 1 on Big Sandy River.

Recreation
Greenup Locks and Dam has a total of 11 public recreation areas.
 
 

Restricted Areas

Greenup Locks and Dam banner


 

Racine Locks and Dam

Authority
River and Harbor Act of 3 July 1909, Sixteenth Congress, 2nd Session.
 
Cost
Estimated Construction $64,882,900
 
Dam
Non-navigable, high-lift, gated dam, top length of 1,173'.  Eight tainter gates, clear span 110' between 15' intermediate piers and 16' end piers, damming height 32' above sills, clearance above maximum high water when fully raised approximately 5'.  The hydropower unit is completed.
 
Hydroelectric
The American Electric Power Company owns and operates a hydroelectric generating plant on the Ohio abutment of Racine Dam.  The project includes two 24,000 KW bulb-type Kaplan turbines operating 24 hours per day as run of river conditions permit.  Both turbines were placed in commercial operation in January 1983.  This hydroelectric project was constructed by Appalachian Power Company in cooperation with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commision under License Number 2570, dated 27 December 1973. 
 
Land & Easements
Of an estimated 2,030 acres in the project, approximately 161 acres fee required for the lock site, 88 acres fee for the abutment site, 5 acres fee for recreation sites, and flowage easement or other lesser interests over the remaining area.  In addition, 11.6 acres fee was reassigned from old lock and dam sites.
 
Locks
Two parallel locks, main lock 1200' by 110', auxiliary lock 600' by 110', miter service gates, vertical-lift emergency gates.
 
Net Land Owned
161.4 acres fee at lock site, 87.6 acres fee at abutment site, 5.3 acres fee at recreation site, 1,764.2 acres flowage easements, 11.6 acres fee reassigned from old lock and dam sites.
 
Pools
Normal upper pool elevation 560.0' m.s.l., upper pool length 33.6 miles to Belleville Dam, normal upper pool surface area 5,300 acres, normal lower pool elevation 538.0' m.s.l., (upper pool of Robert C. Byrd), and normal lift 22.0'.
 
Relocations
No extensive relocations necessary, but remedial measures required to adapt certain facilities to new pool conditions. Facilities include railroad and highway drainage structures and embankment slopes, municipal and industrial sewer outfalls and water intakes.
 
Status
Construction of the project began in May 1964 and is now complete. The locks were begun in April 1965 and were placed in operation 16 December 1967. The dam was initiated in August 1967 and the pool was rasied to full height 24 August 1971.
Contact Information

304-882-2118


How To Find Us

Ohio River, 237.5 miles below Pittsburg, PA and 1.5 miles downstream from Letart Falls, OH.  Replaced locks and dams Nos. 21,


Recreation
A total of 5 areas exist, two are developed, and three for which no work has been initiated are being reevaluated for development potential.
22 and 23 on Ohio River.
 

Restricted Areas

Racine Locks and Dam


 

Robert C. Byrd Locks and Dam

General Information
 
Authority
River and Harbor Act of 30 August 1935. Rehab-Replacement: Supplemental Appropriation Act of 1985 and Water Resources Development Act of 1986.
 
Cost
Lock Replacement $244,550,000; Dam Rehabilitation $ 46,700,000; Fish Hatchery Mitigation $ 13,800,000
 
Dam
Non-navigable, high-lift, gated dam, top length of gated section 1,132'. Eight roller gates, clear span 125'-6 between 16-foot piers, damming height of 29'- 6' above sills.
 
Hydroelectric
A meeting of all owners of lands affected and the new license holder were conducted and the future details of a possible new hydroelectric plant on Ohio side of RCB was announced. Details were uncertain but optimistic. More information will follow as it comes available.
 
Lands & Easements
Of an estimated 2,418 acres in the project, approximately 329 acres fee required for the lock site which includes 108 acres for fish hatchery, 120 acres for dredge disposal, 50 acres for recreation sites; 10 acres for the abutment site 1,801 acres for flowage easement.
 
Locks
Two new parallel locks, main lock 110' by 1200', auxiliary lock 110' by 600', miter service gates. Locks were activated on January 30, 1993.
 
Net Land Owned
329 acres fee at lock site,10 acres fee at abutment site, 50 acres fee at recreation site, 1,801 acres flowage easements
 
Pools
Normal upper pool elevation 538.0' m.s.l., upper pool length is 41.7 miles to Racine Dam on Ohio River and 44.6 miles to Winfield Dam on the Kanawha River. Normal upper pool surface area 12,600 acres, normal lower pool elevation 515.0' m.s.l., (upper pool of Greenup Dam), and normal lift 23.0'.
 
Relocations
No extensive relocations necessary, but remedial measures required to adapt certain facilities to new pool conditions.
 
Status
The Gallipolis Locks and Dam was built on the Ohio River near Gallipolis Ferry, W.Va., as part of a series of locks and dams to allow navigation year-round. It began operation in August 25, 1937, and final construction was completed in October 1937.
 
Fifty years later, construction began on a project to build bigger lock chambers, capable of locking through modern-sized tows and barges. Work began in November 1987 and was completed January 1993. The project consists of a main lock chamber 110-feet wide by 1,200-feet long with an auxiliary lock chamber 110-feet wide by 600-feet long. In January 1993 the lock and dam was renamed after West Virginia Senator Robert C. Byrd.
 
Construction to rehabilitate the 1,116-foot long dam began in August 1992 and was completed in 2002. Eight new roller gates were built, and control units, a motor control center and electric feeders were replaced.
 
In June 2007 the fishing access pier was opened to the public. The pier meets federally required accessibility standards. The fishing pier is closed during winter months to prevent vehicles from entering high water at pier level. It is scheduled to reopen to the public each May, providing the water level is below pier level.
 
The future will bring changes to the Ohio abutment side in the form of a new hydroelectric facility and a recreation area.
 
A public recreation area is located on the West Virginia side of river. It includes a park with a picnic area, playground and parking. The park is open year- round. Each year the fishing recreation area opens, depending on weather conditions or on Memorial Day (whichever comes first). The closing time at end of year is dictated by the weather. The park is closed at dusk and opens at 6:00 a.m. each day.
Contact Information
304-576-2272

How To Find Us
Ohio River, 279.2 miles below Pittsburgh, PA, and 9 miles below the City of Gallipolis, OH. Replaced locks and dams Nos. 24, 25 & 26 on Ohio River and Nos. 9, 10 and 11 on the Kanawha River.

Recreation
There are four public recreation areas.
 

Restricted Areas

R. C. Byrd Locks and Dam


 

Willow Island Locks and Dam

Authority
River and Harbor Act of 3 March 1909, Sixtieth Congress, 2nd Session.
 
Cost
Estimated construction $76,520,800.
 
Dam
Non-navigable, high-lift, gated dam, top length 1,128' including 111-foot fixed weir with 84-foot open crest. Eight tainter gates, clear span 110' between piers, damming height 26' above sills, clearance above maximum high water when fully raised approximately 5'.
 
Easements
Of an estimated 1,750 acres in the project, approximately 92.8 acres fee required for the lock site, 32.1 acres fee at the abutment site, 13.3 acres fee for recreation site, .06 acre fee at radio site and flowage easements or other lesser interests over the remaining area.
 
Hydroelectric
N/A
 
Locks
Two parallel locks, main lock 110' by 1200', auxiliary lock 110' by 600', miter service gates, vertical-lift emergency gates.
 
Net Land Owned
92.8 acres fee at lock site. 32.1 acres fee at abutment site. 13.3 acres fee at recreation sites. 0.06 acres fee at radio relay site. 1612.1 acres flowage easements which includes 63.12 acres flowage rights by special use permit from D.O.A., U.S. Forest Service.
 
Pools
Normal upper pool elevation 602.0' m.s.l., upper pool length 35.3 miles to Hannibal Dam, normal upper pool surface area 6,400 acres, normal lower pool elevation 582.0' m.s.l., (upper pool of Belleville Dam) normal lift 20.0'.
 
Relocations
No extensive relocations necessary, but remedial measures required to adapt certain facilities to new pool conditions. Facilities include railroad and highway drainage structures and embankment slopes, municipal sewer outfalls and water intakes, pipe lines, power and communication lines, and water terminals.
 
Status
Construction began in January 1967 and the total project is 100 percent complete. The locks construction contract was awarded in October 1968 and placed in operation in January 1972. Dam construction was initiated in December 1971 and completed in 1976. The pool was raised to full height in September 1975.

Contact Information
740-374-8710
 
How To Find Us
Ohio River, 161.7 miles downstream from Pittsburgh, PA, and 3.4 miles upstream from Waverly, WV, replaced Locks and Dams Nos. 15, 16 and 17..
 
Recreation
Three recreation areas are existing or proposed for development