Mississippi River Lock and Dam 17 is a concrete dam located in Mercer County, Iowa, built in 1939. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 47 ft47 ft tall and 3,510 ft long, taller than 91% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a ten-story building, about 100 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Mississippi River Lock and Dam 17
The primary purpose of Mississippi River Lock and Dam 17 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 New Boston.
The dam stands 47 feet tall and stretches 3,510 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 8,312 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 50,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 99,600 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 06/22/2022.
At 47 feet, this dam is taller than 91% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Iowa |
| County | Mercer |
| Nearest City | New Boston |
| River/Stream | Mississippi River |
| Coordinates | 41.19165, -91.05845 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 47 ft |
| Dam Length | 3,510 ft |
| Year Completed | 1939 (87 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 50,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 50,000 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 8,312 acres |
| Drainage Area | 99,600 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 370,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Navigation |
| Owner | USACE - Rock Island District |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 06/22/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IA00009 |
| Federal ID | IA00009 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |