The 'Charles River Dam' is a flood control structure on the Charles River in Boston Massachusetts, located just downstream of the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge, near Lovejoy Wharf, on the former location of the Warren Bridge

History

Also known as "The Gridley Dam",named after Gen. Washington's first army engineer Col. Richard Gridley. Built and operational in 1978 the three locks can be crossed by pedestrians as well as bicyclists. It is part of the popular Boston Harborwalk. The dam contains three individual locks, one wider than the other two, to accommodate the less-frequent passing of a larger vessel. There is also built within a fish ladder and a diesel powered three pump hydro-station, used when it becomes necessary to expel any accumulation of excess water from the river basin, at a time the harbor tide level rises too high for a natural outflow to the harbor.

The purpose of the dam is to control the surface level of the river basin as well its' tributary surfaces upstream, ie; The Fens and Muddy River and to prevent sea water from entering the Charles River fresh water basin during high tides . It replaces the Charles River Dam Bridge (older dam of 1912), upstream where the the Boston Museum of Science is now located. The 1912 dam's one lock is now kept open for navigation. The older dam could not keep sea water out and a layer of salt water accumulated at the bottom of the fresh water basin, contributing to pollution and fish migration problems.

The dam's walkway is the site of the "Charlestown Bells", an interactive art installation by Paul Matisse, consisting of a set of multicolored chimes mounted on the railing that passers-by can strike.[659524]

References

1. Mass DCR page

External links