Existing comment:
Watering the Canal
Why are there two locks here? While they may look similar, the two locks played very different roles in the operation of the canal. The lock in front of you is Inlet Lock 2. The lock behind you is Lift Lock 23. Lift locks raised and lowered boats to overcome changes in elevation. Inlet locks controlled the amount of water let into the canal. Dams funneled water to the inlet locks. Dam 2 diverted water from the Potomac River to this inlet lock, watering the canal from Lock 23 all the way to Lock 5 and Dam 1 at Little Falls.
Life and success on the canal depended on water. To ensure a steady supply of water, the canal company built seven dams and a stream pump along the river. In times of drought or low water, usually during the height of summer, river levels could drop dramatically. When the canal could not get enough water from the river, boat traffic stopped. This caused a loss of revenue for the canal company and the loss of a living for the boat captains. |