Mississippi River Lock And Dam 11

Mississippi River Lock And Dam 11 is a concrete dam located in Dubuque County, Iowa, built in 1937. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.

About Mississippi River Lock And Dam 11

The primary purpose of Mississippi River Lock And Dam 11 is navigation. The dam maintains water levels sufficient for boat and barge traffic, supporting commercial or recreational navigation on the waterway. The dam is owned by Usace - Rock Island District (federal). It impounds the Mississippi River near Dubuque.

The dam stands 43 feet tall and stretches 5,130 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 19,613 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 170,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 81,600 square miles. Completed in 1937, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/04/2024.

At 43 feet, this dam is taller than 89% of dams nationwide.

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Significant HazardNot Available ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateIowa
CountyDubuque
Nearest CityDubuque
River/StreamMississippi River
Coordinates42.54014, -90.64463

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeConcrete
NID Height43 ft
Dam Length5,130 ft
Year Completed1937 (89 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage170,000 acre-ft
Max Storage170,000 acre-ft
Surface Area19,613 acres
Drainage Area81,600 sq mi
Max Discharge326,000 cfs
Spillway TypeControlled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeNavigation
OwnerUSACE - Rock Island District
Owner TypeFederal
Hazard ClassificationSignificant
Condition AssessmentNot Available
Last Inspection06/04/2024
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDIA00003
Federal IDIA00003
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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