Mississippi River Lock And Dam 8

Mississippi River Lock And Dam 8 is a concrete dam located in Houston County, Wisconsin, built in 1937. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.

About Mississippi River Lock And Dam 8

The primary purpose of Mississippi River Lock And Dam 8 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 - St. Paul District (federal). It impounds the Mississippi River near Victory.

The dam stands 42 feet tall and stretches 18,520 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 20,800 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 260,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 64,770 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 09/18/2019.

At 42 feet, this dam is taller than 89% of dams nationwide.

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Significant HazardNot Available ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateWisconsin
CountyHouston
Nearest CityVictory
River/StreamMississippi River
Coordinates43.57040, -91.23149

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeConcrete
NID Height42 ft
Dam Height30 ft
Dam Length18,520 ft
Year Completed1937 (89 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage260,000 acre-ft
Max Storage260,000 acre-ft
Normal Storage105,200 acre-ft
Surface Area20,800 acres
Drainage Area64,770 sq mi
Max Discharge274,000 cfs
Spillway TypeControlled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeNavigation
OwnerUSACE - St. Paul District
Owner TypeFederal
Hazard ClassificationSignificant
Condition AssessmentNot Available
Last Inspection09/18/2019
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDWI00803
Federal IDWI00803
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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