Lockington Dam
Shelby County, Shelby County, Ohio
Marker Inscription
One of five dams built by the Miami Conservancy District for flood control in the Miami Valley. Completed in 1921, it is 78 feet high, 6,400 feet long, and 415 feet wide at the base.
The Story
After the catastrophic Great Miami River flood of March 1913 drowned Dayton and killed hundreds, Ohio pioneered one of the nation's first comprehensive flood-control efforts: the Miami Conservancy District. Completed in 1921, Lockington Dam is one of five earthen 'dry dams' the District built across the valley's tributaries — structures that stand empty most of the year and only pool water behind them during dangerous high water, releasing it slowly downstream. Among the largest earthworks of its kind when it was finished, its great length and height reflect the ambitious scale of engineer Arthur E. Morgan's regional plan.
Why it matters
The Miami Conservancy District was a landmark in American civil engineering and public works, proving that a whole watershed could be managed for flood control and serving as a model for later projects like the Tennessee Valley Authority.
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Related people
- · Arthur E. Morgan
Related events
- · Great Miami River flood of 1913
- · Miami Conservancy District
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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