WA - Locks & Ship Canal

The Ship Canal connects Lake Washington to Puget Sound via Lake Union, right thru Seattle. The Hiram M. Chittenden locks, administered by the US Army(!) Corps of Engineers, deal with the difference in water level between the Sound and the lake.
The Canal was built in 1916, lowering the level of Lake Washington some 9 ft. It used to drain out to the south to the Duwamish River, but now its only outlet is thru the Canal. There's no _way_ the project would pass environmental muster these days! ;) Because it's now also the sole outlet for the lake, a set of gates regulates water flow, as there might not be enough ship traffic.

The Ship Canal connects Lake Washington to Puget Sound via Lake Union, right thru Seattle. The Hiram M. Chittenden locks, administered by the US Army(!) Corps of Engineers, deal with the difference in water level between the Sound and the lake.
The Canal was built in 1916, lowering the level of Lake Washington some 9 ft. It used to drain out to the south to the Duwamish River, but now its only…  (read more)

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