How a Canal Lock Works

Come see for yourself!
Visit our headquarters at the Locktender’s House in New Hope to see a working model of a canal lock. This newest addition to our exhibits was created by five students in the Design and Manufacturing class of the Academy at Palisades High School in Kintnersville.

These students were guided by teacher Ray Kaminski in designing and constructing the 6-foot-long model, complete with re-circulating water. Bonnie Tobin, Delaware Canal State Park educator, advised the class, and the Bureau of State Parks assisted with the cost of the model.

The students did a wonderful job, paying great attention to detail. They located correctly scaled sticks to build the mule pen, and picked out the right shade of red paint for the Locktender’s House trim. They even met the significant challenge of making the model watertight.

The 3D model lets visitors

1. see the higher and lower water elevations in the canal waterway
2. operate the lock gates
3. open and shut the wickets
4. “lock through” scale models of wooden canal boats

Just how does a lock work, anyway?

Going Downstream

1. If the lock is empty, the lower gate is closed. The lock fills by opening the bottom part of the top gate.
2. When the lock is full, the top gate is opened and the canal boat enters.
3. The bottom part of the top gate is shut and the top gate is fully closed.
4. The bottom part of the lower gate is opened and the water in the lock is drained, until the water level in the lock is the same as the water level below the lock.
5. When the water levels match, the lower gate is opened and the canal boat is pulled out.

Going Upstream

1. If the lock is not empty, the bottom part pf the lower gate is shut and the lock emptied.
2. When the lock is empty, the bottom gate is opened and the boat can enter the lock.
3. The bottom part of the lower gate is shut and the lower gate is fully closed.
4. The bottom part of the upper gate is opened and the lock is filled until the water level in the lock is the same as the water level above the lock.
5. When the water levels match, the upper gate is opened and the canal boat is pulled out.