Pike Island Locks and Dam, Lock and dam system in Ohio County, United States
Pike Island Locks and Dam is a navigation system along the Ohio River in Ohio County that manages water flow and vessel passage through a series of chambers. The facility includes two parallel lock structures that allow commercial boats and barges to pass through changing water levels.
The facility was built between 1959 and 1963 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers as a replacement for two older locks that dated to the early 1900s. This modernization project improved navigation capabilities for growing commercial traffic on the Ohio River.
The structure represents the evolution of river engineering, demonstrating the progression from manual wooden wicket dams to modern concrete gravity dam technology.
Visitors can access a parking area at River Road in Yorkville to view the locks and watch commercial vessels pass through. The location offers fishing opportunities and clear views of the lock operations from ground level.
The dam maintains a reservoir elevation of 644 feet above sea level, controlling water flow 84 miles downstream from Pittsburgh.
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