Brandon Road Lock and Dam

(Satellite)

(Even though this L&D is on the Des Plaines River, I added the "wwIll" label to help me access all of the USACE L&Ds in Illinois.)

Repairs has more information concerning the lock and Invasive Species has more information about preventing fish migration between the Great Lakes and Mississippi watersheds.

USACE

 

16:05 video @ 2:35

KleinschmidtGroup 2009 Hydro Study

I had no idea the Mississippi comes this far north. It is owned by the USACE, and I understand that it is more of a cruise ship than a towboat.

WaterWaysJournal, Mar 31, 2023

WaterWaysJournal, Sep 9, 2022
In 2022, slots were added so that stop logs like this one can be used to dewater the lock. The "poiree dam system" had been condemned in the 1990s.

MarineLink, USACE Rock Island District
The replacement of the 90-year old miter gates machinery in 2023 by Brennan will cost $23,484,700.
[Brennan also did the 2022 work.]

The lower gate closing after an upstream tow has entered the lock. 

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Whenever I go to Joliet to railfan, I also try to check out Brandon Lock and Dam. It makes sense to take photos of a dam multiple times because the flows change. In fact, I sometimes make a special effort to go to Joliet after we have had heavy rains to catch how the flow changes.

20170621 9311, cropped
[The truss work in the background on the left side is the I-80 bridge over the Des Plaines River.]

Satellite

Looking at a satellite image, we see that Brandon Road has a bridge downstream of the dam.

Thanks to watching fisherman park on the shoulder of the road and walk out on the shoulder of the bridge, I do the same. The above photo of the dam was taken from this bridge.

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