Black Rock Lock
Encyclopedia
The Black Rock Lock located in Buffalo, New York
is 650 feet (198.1 m) in length and 70 feet (21.3 m) in wide. There is only one chamber and the total weight of the gate is 480 tons. The lock has been a part of Black Rock since the state of New York built the Erie Canal
in 1833.
to the Black Rock Lock. The channels waterway is three and a half miles in length. The Black Rock Channel was constructed to provide protection to reefs, rapids and fast currents in the upstream Niagara River. Pleasure crafts and commercial vessels can only be 625 feet (190.5 m) long with drafts to 21 feet (6.4 m) to be allowed in the lock and channel. Although both pleasure craft and commercial vessels are allowed in the channel it is required that the pleasure crafts yield the right of way to all commercial vessels.
There are three bridges that cross the channel. They are the Peace Bridge
, the Ferry Street Bridge and the International Railroad Bridge. The Peace Bridge is the first bridge that is passed coming from the south entrance of the channel. The Peace Bridge has a clearance of 200 feet (61 m) above Low Water Datum (LWD). The Ferry Bridge is a lift bridge and is the next bridge located 1.9 miles (3.1 km) from the south entrance of the channel. The Ferry Bridge has a clearance of 17.3 above the LWD. Then 3.1 miles (5 km) for the south channel entrance comes the International Railroad Bridge. This is a swing bridge which has a clearance of 17 feet (5.2 m) LWD when closed.
from 1908-1913 as part of the Erie Canal. It has been that facility to house large Great Lakes vessels that have carried essential goods to business and industry in Western New York
. The lock went through its first rehabilitation in 1975. From 1984-1986 the locks guard gates and the operating system were rehabilitated. Since the 90’s many things have been done to provide a safer work environment, such as the installation of new fencing, railing and ladders. Other things like the refurbishing of the lock houses, and the widening and capping of all concrete approach walls have been done as well.
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
is 650 feet (198.1 m) in length and 70 feet (21.3 m) in wide. There is only one chamber and the total weight of the gate is 480 tons. The lock has been a part of Black Rock since the state of New York built the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
in 1833.
Navigating the Channel
The Black Rock Channel extends from Buffalo HarborBuffalo Harbor North and South entrance Lights
Buffalo Harbor North and South entrance Lights are lighthouses located at the entrance to Buffalo harbor in New York. The south light is at Stony Point breakwater , and the North light was relocated....
to the Black Rock Lock. The channels waterway is three and a half miles in length. The Black Rock Channel was constructed to provide protection to reefs, rapids and fast currents in the upstream Niagara River. Pleasure crafts and commercial vessels can only be 625 feet (190.5 m) long with drafts to 21 feet (6.4 m) to be allowed in the lock and channel. Although both pleasure craft and commercial vessels are allowed in the channel it is required that the pleasure crafts yield the right of way to all commercial vessels.
There are three bridges that cross the channel. They are the Peace Bridge
Peace Bridge
The Peace Bridge is an international bridge between Canada and the United States at the east end of Lake Erie at the source of the Niagara River, about upriver of Niagara Falls. It connects the City of Buffalo, New York, in the United States to the Town of Fort Erie, Ontario, in Canada...
, the Ferry Street Bridge and the International Railroad Bridge. The Peace Bridge is the first bridge that is passed coming from the south entrance of the channel. The Peace Bridge has a clearance of 200 feet (61 m) above Low Water Datum (LWD). The Ferry Bridge is a lift bridge and is the next bridge located 1.9 miles (3.1 km) from the south entrance of the channel. The Ferry Bridge has a clearance of 17.3 above the LWD. Then 3.1 miles (5 km) for the south channel entrance comes the International Railroad Bridge. This is a swing bridge which has a clearance of 17 feet (5.2 m) LWD when closed.
Black Rock Lock History
The lock was constructed by the Corps of EngineersUnited States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
from 1908-1913 as part of the Erie Canal. It has been that facility to house large Great Lakes vessels that have carried essential goods to business and industry in Western New York
Western New York
Western New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
. The lock went through its first rehabilitation in 1975. From 1984-1986 the locks guard gates and the operating system were rehabilitated. Since the 90’s many things have been done to provide a safer work environment, such as the installation of new fencing, railing and ladders. Other things like the refurbishing of the lock houses, and the widening and capping of all concrete approach walls have been done as well.