Lock and Dam

4 photos · 2019–2023

4 photographs tagged Lock and Dam, 2019–2023.

Related: Minnesota Bridge Cityscape Downtown Minneapolis Minneapolis Minneapolis Skyline
Night photo of river and city skyline with a haze in Minneapolis
The Minneapolis skyline is veiled by smoke from Canadian wildfires, impacting regional air quality. The Mississippi River flows past the historic Stone Arch Bridge, a former railway bridge completed in 1883, now a pedestrian walkway. Adjacent to the bridge is the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam, a 20th-century engineering project that regulates the river's flow and supports navigation, a function critical to Minneapolis since its establishment.

Minneapolis Skyline and Mississippi River in Wildfire Smoke

Mississippi River in front of Downtown Minneapolis Skyline
The Minneapolis Lock and Dam on the Mississippi River is obscured by haze from Canadian wildfire smoke, impacting air quality in the downtown area. Constructed in the early 20th century, the lock and dam system was designed to improve navigation on the river, facilitating the transport of goods and materials. Today, it continues to play a role in managing water levels and supporting barge traffic, though its visual presence is altered by atmospheric conditions. The Stone Arch Bridge, a historic landmark, is visible in the background, further contextualizing the industrial and infrastructural history of Minneapolis.

Minneapolis Lock and Dam Under Canadian Wildfire Smoke

Knife Falls Dam hydroelectric plant on the St. Louis River in Cloquet, Minnesota.
Knife Falls Dam in Cloquet, Minnesota. The hydroelectric plant at the dam generates 2.4 megawatts of power.

The Reservoir Above Knife Falls Dam in Cloquet

Third Avenue Bridge crosses the Mississippi River with the Gold Medal Flour sign and downtown Minneapolis skyline illuminated at dusk.
The Third Avenue Bridge crosses the Mississippi River just downstream from Saint Anthony Falls, linking downtown Minneapolis to the university area to the east. Completed in 1918, it's a concrete arch span designed by engineer Kristoffer Olsen Oustad with a slight curve to fit the site's geology. Below it, the Lower St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam helps vessels pass the falls, while the Gold Medal Flour sign, raised above the old Washburn-Crosby mill site in 1908, still marks the skyline behind it.

Foggy Dusk at Third Avenue Bridge and St. Anthony Falls

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