🚢 Brandon Road Lock and Dam

The Brandon Road Lock and Dam is a lock and dam complex along the Des Plaines River in Joliet, Illinois. The complex was built from 1927 to 1933 in conjunction with the construction of the Illinois Waterway, which allowed for barge travel between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River. The lock and dam are also used to regulate water levels on the river between Lockport and Joliet. The lock at the complex is 110 by 600 feet and has four Miter gates, with a 34-foot drop. The dam is 2,372 feet (723 m) long and includes concrete and earthen segments. The complex also includes a disused junction lock for the Illinois and Michigan Canal, the control station for the lock, and a modern pump house.