Navigation locks and dams are operated and maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The lockmaster has full authority over the movement of boats in the lock and its approaches.
If you’re preparing to go through a lock, be sure your boat is equipped with at least two 50-foot lines, so you can moor your vessel to the floating mooring bits (posts) on the lock chamber wall that move up and down as the water level rises or falls.
Safety is the prime consideration when locking any type of vessel through a lock. Operators must require all passengers to wear a coast guard approved life jacket, and make sure no one in your boat is standing on the foredeck or on the roof when you’re passing through a lock.
It’s best to learn as much as you can about a specific lock before you try to navigate through, as lock facilities vary in size and how they operate. Please select a lock from below to learn more about it's locking though procedures.