The Franklin Lock and Dam, also known as the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam, is a navigable lock

Lock (water transport)

A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...

 and dam

Dam

A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...

 in Olga

Olga, Florida

Olga is a census-designated place in Lee County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,398 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Cape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Olga is located at ....

, Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

This lock and dam cost $3.8 million dollars, and was constructed in 1965. It is located on the Caloosahatchee River

Caloosahatchee River

The Caloosahatchee River is a river on the southwest Gulf Coast of Florida in the United States, approximately long. It drains rural areas on the northern edge of the Everglades northwest of Miami...

 approximately 33 miles (53.1 km) upstream from the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway

Gulf Intracoastal Waterway

The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway is the portion of the Intracoastal Waterway located along the Gulf Coast of the United States. It is a navigable inland waterway running approximately 1700 kilometers from Carrabelle, Florida, to Brownsville, Texas.The waterway provides a channel with a controlling...

.

It is located at latitude 26° 43" 16', longitude -81° 41"40', on the Caloosahatchee River

Caloosahatchee River

The Caloosahatchee River is a river on the southwest Gulf Coast of Florida in the United States, approximately long. It drains rural areas on the northern edge of the Everglades northwest of Miami...

 about 33 miles (53.1 km) upstream of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway

Gulf Intracoastal Waterway

The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway is the portion of the Intracoastal Waterway located along the Gulf Coast of the United States. It is a navigable inland waterway running approximately 1700 kilometers from Carrabelle, Florida, to Brownsville, Texas.The waterway provides a channel with a controlling...

.

Lockage usually takes between 15 to 20 minutes. The lock operates from 6:00 am to 9:30 pm, 365 days a year, unless otherwise stated in "Notice to Mariners", published by the Coast Guard.

Purpose

The Franklin Lock and Dam were constructed for flood control, water control, the prevention salt-water
intrusion, and for navigation purposes.

Technical information

The lock chamber is 56 feet (17.1 m) wide by 400 feet (121.9 m) long by 14 feet (4.3 m) high. The lift of the lock is usually 2 to 3 foot (0.9144 m) from sea level to the Caloosahatchee River water level.

The channel is 90 feet (27.4 m) wide by 8 feet (2.4 m) deep.

The lock chamber is concrete, with welded structural steel sector gates, and concrete gate bays. This lock has a discharge capacity of 28900 cuft/s.

Vessels

Approximately 15,000 vessels pass through annually, of which about 97% are recreational vessels.

Commodities

About 13,000 tons of manufactured goods, equipment, crude materials, food, and petroleum
products are locked annually.

See also

• List of reservoirs and dams in Florida