Lock and Dam Number 53, Navigation infrastructure on the Ohio River, Illinois and Kentucky, United States
Lock and Dam Number 53 was a navigation structure on the Ohio River that moved commercial vessels upstream through two chambers of different sizes. The facility handled river traffic moving between the Mississippi River and points further north.
The structure was built in 1929 and served river traffic until its demolition in 2021. It was an important lock station for commercial barges moving between the lower and upper sections of the Ohio River.
The facility represented American engineering advancement in water transportation, processing over 72 million tonnes of cargo annually by 2015.
The site was primarily accessible to river traffic and not open to public visitors. The best time to observe commercial activity was during warmer months when shipping volume increased.
The dam was a wicket dam, a special design with hinged sections that could submerge during high water levels. This construction approach allowed operators to adjust water flow according to shipping and flood control needs.
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