Opekiska Lock and Dam is a navigational lock and gated

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...

on the

Monongahela River The Monongahela River ( , )—often referred to locally as the Mon ()—is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 15, 2011 river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-cen ...

at Lowsville,

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...

. It is part of a series of dams that canalizes the Monongahela to a depth of at least for its entire length from Fairmont,

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. It is maintained by the

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...

' Pittsburgh District. Opekiska has a single lock chamber located on the right-descending river bank. The dam's upper pool extends about upstream to the Monongahela's source at Fairmont,

. The pool also extends up the Monongahela's two primary tributaries, the

Tygart Valley River The Tygart Valley River — also known as the Tygart River — is a principal tributary of the Monongahela River, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed Aug ...

and the

West Fork River The West Fork River is a principal tributary of the Monongahela River, long, in north-central West Virginia, United States. Via the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 881 square ...

. Opekiska's downstream pool is formed by

Hildebrand Lock and Dam Hildebrand Lock and Dam is a navigational lock and gated dam on the Monongahela River at Hilderbrand, West Virginia. (Hildebrand is a misspelling of Hilderbrand.) It is part of a series of dams that canalizes the Monongahela to a depth of at le ...

History

Construction on Opekiska Lock and Dam began in 1961 and was completed in 1964. It replaced old Locks 14 and 15, timber crib structures completed about 1903. Due to cost issues, it was closed to weekend traffic in October 2012. However, funding from the Upper Monongahela River Association began in 2015 to cover the costs of opening the locks during the summer months on weekends.

References

External links

Opekiska Lock and Dam
{{Crossings navbox , structure = Dams , place =

, bridge = Opekiska Lock and Dam , bridge signs = , upstream = FM&P Bridge , upstream signs = , downstream =

, downstream signs = Transportation in Monongalia County, West Virginia Buildings and structures in Monongalia County, West Virginia Dams in West Virginia Water transportation in West Virginia Crossings of the Monongahela River United States Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District United States Army Corps of Engineers dams Dams completed in 1964 Locks of West Virginia

History

See also

References

External links