Point Marion Lock and Dam, Navigation lock and gravity dam on Monongahela River, Pennsylvania.
Point Marion Lock and Dam is a navigation structure on the Monongahela River that allows boats to move between different water levels on the river. The facility consists of a lock chamber and a dam that create a large pool of water upstream.
Construction began in 1923 under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and was completed in 1926 to improve river navigation. It was part of a larger effort to make the Monongahela River more useful for shipping and trade between industrial communities.
The lock and dam system represents the industrial development of Pennsylvania, enabling continuous maritime commerce between Pittsburgh and Fairmont, West Virginia.
You can view this structure from nearby vantage points and watch boats moving through the lock chamber. The site is located in an industrial area, so it helps to find the best viewing spots ahead of time.
The dam creates a reservoir with a capacity of 11,500 acre-feet, serving multiple purposes across a drainage area of 2,751 square miles.
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