Topic: The Ohio River - Markland Dam and Locks in action

[moonloop]

Markland Dam is about an hour from Cincinnati. It was built in 1964. It's between Gallatin County, KY and Switzerland County, IN. Hoover Dam it's not, but it was still worth the drive to just see the Dam and Locks in action.    There seems to be very little info online, I guess it's not considered a tourist attraction.



Observation Deck

























Off they go



Getting ready to do again

[RiverViewer]

Woo hoo!  It's open again!!!!

My wife and I went on an exploratory drive five or six years ago, discovered the observation deck, and were thrilled to watch them in action!  Then a guy at work took his son there maybe a year after 9/11 and the observation deck was closed.  I figured it was shut down for security reasons...but it's open?  Wow, and woo hoo!  Definitely worth a trip, if you're into big infrastructure.

Thank you, thank you, thank you - I'm really happy to see it's open!  Oh, and great shots!

[Robert Pence]

Excellent photos!

I was there about fifteen years ago, and shot up the better part of a roll of film as a barge tow locked through. It was a larger tow than would fit the lock, and they had to break it into two pieces, a lengthy complicated process.

The visit was part of a trip to document Indiana courthouses, and when I got the film back from the processor, I discovered that the shutter in my camera had been malfunctioning almost the entire time. From five rolls of film, I got maybe a half-dozen usable photos.

Maybe I should try again!

[moonloop]

It would a been nice to of seen a barge go through. Would anyone know if boaters/barges have to pay a fee to get through?

[kingfish out of water]

Woo hoo!  It's open again!!!!

His screen name does not lie.

Locks are about the coolest things ever. The Soo Locks up in Michigan's UP are a sight (and site) to behold. Big infrastructure is right. Definitely evidence of a time when engineers ruled the Earth.

[Mr Sparkle]

Being a Civil Engineer, I love the engineering works that don't get "all the press". Last time I was up in Mich, we drove an hour up to the UP just to see the Soo Locks in action. Talk about some big ass freighters!

I understand some big paddlefish hang out around the Ohio River dams?

[Sherman Cahal]

I think the Markland was the second "super dam" completed in the States. The first was the Greenup Dam further upstream, which replaced 3 wicket dams. I remember reading the brochures and reports on the opening ceremonies for the Greenup Dam -- presidents, politicians from across the US, and 3,000 others were there because it was such a huge deal -- like going into space, only for river navigation.

The design is very, very similar. The Markland Bridge was built in 1964? The Greenup Dam Bridge wasn't completed until the mid-1980s (1984, IIRC).

[unusualfire]

Im always surprised on how wide the Ohio river is down stream.

[jmecklenborg]

The damage to the lock door is very odd unless it was struck by a barge, which is what I bet happened, but I don't know why it's not being reported. Wilson Lock was hit by a barge in 2006 and suffered a multi-week outage. 

All of the existing Ohio River locks are 1200ft. except for four dams closest to Pittsburgh.  The Ohio River is really like an "interstate" for barges, since locking through a 1200ft. lock with a 15 barge tow is pretty damn quick and simple. The new Olmstead lock & dam will replace dams 51 and 52, which are wicket dams near Paducah.  Olmstead will have two 1200ft. locks.     

So far as I know the only 1200ft. river locks in America are all on the Ohio, although there is one 1,000ft. lock (Pickwick) on the Tennessee, and a new 1200ft. lock is being built at Kentucky Dam on the Tennessee. 

The 1,000ft. Pickwick Lock was built in anticipation of Tennessee-Tombigbee traffic that never materialized.  The 1,000ft. lock is totally idiotic though because it requires 15-barge tows to deface.  The towboat has to ride down the auxiliary lock and then pull out its tow on the other side.  I've never heard an explanation for why something this idiotic was built. 

All the Tennessee locks with the exception of Pickwick are 600ft. up to Chattanooga.  Also all the upper Mississippi locks are also 600ft.  This requires tows greater than six barges (unless two are lashed to the side of the towboat) to break into two sections.  The real problem starts when those locks are closed and the auxiliary 300ft. locks are used, in which case only one barge can be brought through at a time.  Obviously it ends up taking 10 hours for a full tow to lock through. 

[oakiehigh]

Update on Damaged Gate at Markland Dam

http://www.local12.com/news/local/story/Update-on-Damaged-Gate-at-Markland-Dam/vrgksIym1ECvVOfKffXrGg.cspx