Mississippi Lock and Dam No. 5a
Gallery
img
'Dam Saloon' sign at Lock and Dam No. 5a
img
Lock and Dam No. 5a
 
Details
Attraction
Location
Body of Water: Mississippi River
Trail Name: Inland Waterways
Year Built: 1932
Nearest Address: State Hwy 35
Nearest City: Fountain City
County: Buffalo
Latitude: N 44°05.38100'
Longitude: W -091°39.98700'
Attraction
Features
Open to public?: Yes
Mooring buoy?: No
Mooring buoy in place?: No
Snorkelable?: No
Dive guide?: No
Trails sign?: No
National Register?: No
Attraction
Description
Located on Mississippi River mile 728.5 near Fountain City, Wisconsin, Lock and Dam No. 5a was constructed in 1932 and placed in operation in 1936. The dam consists of a concrete structure 682 feet long with five roller gates and five tainter gates. The earth embankment is 22,000 feet long with a concrete overflow spillway that is 1,000 feet long. The lock is 110 feet wide by 600 feet long. The lock is on the Minnesota side of the channel, but the channel is not wide here so vessels transiting are easily seen. There is a small parking area with a walkway across the railroad tracks to the river where the Dam Saloon fishing barge is moored.
 
Map
 
Nearby
Attractions (2)
Fountain City Historical Society
Mississippi Lock and Dam No. 5a
© 2026 - Wisconsin Sea Grant, Wisconsin Historical Society