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Hildebrand Lock and Dam
1610 Hildebrand Lock and Dam Road
Morgantown, WV 26501-7643
304-983-2300
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Hildebrand Lock and Dam is one of nine navigation structures
which provide for year-round navigation on the Monongahela River
between Pittsburgh, PA and Fairmont, West Virginia.
Location
Hildebrand Lock and Dam is located at river mile 108.0, six miles
southwest of the city of Morgantown, WV and near Hildebrand, WV
and Round Bottom, WV The lock chamber and operations building are
situated along the left bank of the river. Road access to the project
is from a state road leading southwest from the Morgantown suburb
of Westover.
History
Hildebrand Lock and Dam was constructed in the period from 1950
to 1960 and eliminated the older Locks 12 and 13 which had been
in place since 1903. The navigation facility was opened in March
1960.
Project
Information
Hildebrand Lock and Dam consists of a lock chamber and a gated dam.
This type of dam is constructed to permit increased control over
the water level in the navigation pool upriver of the dam. Machinery
mounted on tall concrete piers moves large chains which lift gates
that are hinged into the body of the piers. As the gates are raised
or lowered to control the amount of water flowing under them, the
upstream pool is maintained at a relatively constant level for an
authorized depth of at least 9 feet throughout its length. The dam,
however, cannot be operated to control flood flows. An incidental
benefit derived from the pool formed by the dam is the availability
of a source of municipal and industrial water.
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