Peterborough Lift Lock, Hydraulic boat lift in Peterborough, Canada.
The Peterborough Lift Lock features two parallel water-filled chambers that transport boats up and down through a vertical distance of 19.8 meters.
Engineer Richard Birdsall Rogers designed this innovative hydraulic lift lock in 1896, completing construction in 1904 as part of the Trent-Severn Waterway system.
The Peterborough Lift Lock received national recognition as both a National Historic Site and an Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark during the late 20th century.
Visitors can explore the lift lock and its visitor center from mid-May through mid-October, learning about its mechanical operations through interactive displays.
Each chamber of the lift lock weighs 1,673 metric tons when filled with water and boats, using gravity and hydraulic pressure for operation.
Location: Peterborough
Length: 36.6 m
Width: 9.7 m
Part of: Trent–Severn Waterway
Address: 354 Hunter Street East, Peterborough, ON
Phone: +17057504953
Email: ont.trentsevern@pc.gc.ca
GPS coordinates: 44.30750,-78.30080
Latest update: May 27, 2025 11:33
Navigation locks are engineering structures that enable ships to pass through significant elevation changes between seas, lakes, and rivers. From the Panama Canal, where vessels rise 86 feet (26 meters) to cross the Isthmus, to the Three Gorges Dam in China, featuring five-stage locks managing a 371-foot (113-meter) height difference on the Yangtze River, these technical facilities have transformed global trade routes. The Soo Locks in the United States connect the Great Lakes, while the Kiel Canal in Germany links the North Sea to the Baltic Sea. Some structures, such as the Itaipu Dam between Brazil and Paraguay, combine navigation and hydroelectric power generation with a capacity of 14,000 megawatts. Others stand out with their innovative technical solutions: the boat lift in Peterborough, Canada, has used a hydraulic system since 1904, while the Falkirk Wheel in Scotland employs a rotating mechanism to lift 24 meters (79 feet). These facilities play a crucial role in international commerce and economic growth of the regions they serve.
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