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| Smithland Locks and Dam | |
|---|---|
| Name | Smithland Locks and Dam |
| Dam crosses | Ohio River |
| Location | near Smithland, Kentucky / near South Bend, Indiana |
| Operator | United States Army Corps of Engineers |
| Opening | 1980 |
| Type | Concrete gravity, lock and dam |
| Reservoir name | Ohio River pool |
| Length | 2,000 ft |
| Coordinates | 37°48′N 88°57′W |
Smithland Locks and Dam
Smithland Locks and Dam is a major navigation facility on the Ohio River near the confluence with the Mississippi River, serving as a critical node in the inland waterway network linking the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. Constructed and operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the complex supports commercial barge traffic, regional industry, and water management while interacting with federal programs and regional stakeholders such as the Tennessee Valley Authority and state authorities in Kentucky and Illinois.
Smithland Locks and Dam operates as a gated lock and concrete dam complex designed to maintain a navigable pool on the Ohio River for towboat and barge navigation associated with Missouri River-linked commerce, coal shipments to Cincinnati, steel inputs for Pittsburgh area mills, and agricultural commodity movements to New Orleans. The facility integrates with the nationwide system overseen by the United States Department of the Army and interfaces with interstate transport corridors including Interstate 24 and regional railheads such as those served by CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway.
Situated at river mile 0 on the Ohio River (near the river mouth at the Mississippi River), the facility lies close to Smithland, Kentucky and communities such as Wickliffe, Kentucky, West Paducah, Kentucky, and Graves County, Kentucky. The dam spans the navigable channel with a combination of tainter gates, non-overflow sections, and earth embankments similar in design intent to other Corps projects like McAlpine Locks and Dam and Lock and Dam No. 52. The primary lock chamber dimensions accommodate standard 15-barge tows and mirror sizing principles found at Locks and Dams on the Upper Mississippi River, with concrete piers, approach guide walls, and mooring facilities used by operators from companies such as Ingram Barge Company and American Commercial Barge Line.
Planning for Smithland Locks and Dam arose from mid-20th century inland navigation studies by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and legislative direction from bodies including the United States Congress and the Water Resources Development Act. Site selection considered flood control and navigation demands after high-flow events documented by the Great Flood of 1937 and subsequent hydrologic analyses by the National Weather Service and the United States Geological Survey. Construction involved civil contractors experienced with projects like Bonneville Dam and utilized advances in concrete gravity dam techniques influenced by engineers who worked on the Hoover Dam and Bollman Bridge. The facility was commissioned in the late 1970s and opened in 1980, aligning with regional industrial shifts involving companies such as Armco and infrastructure funding initiatives championed by congressional delegations from Kentucky's 1st congressional district and Illinois's 12th congressional district.
Daily operations are managed by Corps personnel coordinating lockage schedules, tow priorities, and maintenance windows with river users including ADM (company), Cargill, and energy suppliers moving coal to plants in the Ohio Valley. The locks support bi-directional commercial traffic and recreational craft governed by policies akin to those applied at Locks and Dams on the Columbia River and staffed in shifts with communications tied to the United States Coast Guard and maritime radio channels. Lock outages and inspection periods are scheduled in consultation with the American Waterways Operators and river pilot associations to minimize impacts on freight chains connecting to ports like the Port of New Orleans and inland terminals such as the Consolidated Grain and Barge facilities.
Environmental assessments conducted during planning and subsequent monitoring involved agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and state departments like the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Impacts on migratory species such as pallid sturgeon and operations affecting habitats like the Mississippi Flyway prompted mitigation measures similar to those at Lock and Dam No. 11 (Dubuque) and collaboration with conservation groups like The Nature Conservancy. Sedimentation, water quality parameters tracked by the United States Geological Survey, and thermal regime changes were addressed through adaptive management, involving riparian restoration projects with partners including the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The site provides public access and recreational opportunities coordinated with county and state parks agencies such as the Kentucky State Parks system and local tourism bureaus in Livingston County, Kentucky. Anglers target species managed under regional fisheries plans by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, while recreational boating and sightseeing draw visitors from metropolitan areas including Paducah, Kentucky and Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Educational outreach and historical interpretation often reference river heritage themes parallel to exhibits at institutions like the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium and the Smithsonian Institution riverine collections.
Incidents recorded at the facility have included mechanical failures, extreme flood responses, and navigation collisions similar in character to events logged at Kaskaskia Lock and other inland navigation structures. Maintenance events range from scheduled gate rehabilitation and concrete repairs to emergency dredging coordinated with the United States Army Corps of Engineers District, Louisville and contract firms experienced from projects such as the Olmsted Locks and Dam rehabilitation. Emergency responses have involved coordination with entities like the Federal Emergency Management Agency and local first responders in Union County, Kentucky when high-water incidents threatened riverfront infrastructure.
Category:Dams in Kentucky Category:Locks of the United States Category:Ohio River