title: Melvin Price Locks and Dam
text: # Melvin Price Locks and Dam
  
  Melvin Price Locks and Dam is a dam and two locks at river mile 200.78 on the Upper Mississippi River, about 17 miles (27 km) north of Saint Louis, Missouri. The collocated National Great Rivers Museum [Wikidata], explains the structure and its engineering.
  
  ## Background
  
  Construction began in 1979, the main lock opened in 1990, and the full structure was completed in 1994. It replaced the earlier Lock and Dam No. 26, demolished in 1990, and is the first replacement structure on the Upper Mississippi River nine-foot navigation project. The main lock is 1,200 feet (370 m) long and 110 feet (34 m) wide; the auxiliary is 600 feet (180 m) long and 110 feet (34 m) wide. The main lock has a vertical lift gate and a miter gate while the aux. lock has two miter gates. The dam is 1,160 feet (350 m) long with 9 tainter gates, each 110 feet (34 m) wide by 42 feet (13 m) high.
  
  It is named after Illinois Congressman Charles Melvin Price.
  
  ## Gallery
  
  * Annotated image of the lock and dam
  * Dam and locks from Missouri shore
  * Close-up of the gates on the Melvin Price Lock & Dam
  