Mississippi River Locks and Dam 14

Mississippi River Locks and Dam 14 is a concrete dam located in Scott County, Iowa, built in 1939. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.

Hazard potentialSignificantFailure could cause major damage
ConditionNot assessed
Emergency action planOn file
Last inspection07/09/2025
Height39 ft
Built193987 years ago

Dam profile

NID height · 39 ft
39 FT TWO-STORY HOUSEMEDIAN U.S. DAM · 24 FT

39 ft tall and 2,874 ft long, taller than 85% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.

About Mississippi River Locks and Dam 14

The primary purpose of Mississippi River Locks and Dam 14 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 Hampton.

The dam stands 39 feet tall and stretches 2,874 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 10,450 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 82,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 88,400 square miles. Completed in 1939, 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 07/09/2025.

At 39 feet, this dam is taller than 85% of dams nationwide.

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Location

StateIowa
CountyScott
Nearest CityHampton
River/StreamMississippi River
Coordinates41.57389, -90.39951

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeConcrete
NID Height39 ft
Dam Length2,874 ft
Year Completed1939 (87 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage82,000 acre-ft
Max Storage82,000 acre-ft
Surface Area10,450 acres
Drainage Area88,400 sq mi
Max Discharge344,000 cfs
Spillway TypeControlled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeNavigation
OwnerUSACE - Rock Island District
Owner TypeFederal
Hazard ClassificationSignificant
Condition AssessmentNot assessed
Last Inspection07/09/2025
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDIA00006
Federal IDIA00006
More InfoState Dam Safety Program