The gates descend at a rate of 1½ feet per minute, taking roughly half an hour to lower. The maximum vertical clearance when the gates are elevated is 25 feet above mean sea level. Each gate weighs approximately 112,000 pounds and require three horsepower to lift. They are lowered and raised by electrical motor driven hoists or manually, if necessary. The mechanics for lowering and raising the gates are located in mechanical buildings above each gate, 35 feet above mean sea level, on the piers between the gates and at the end walls.
The access bridge provides an approach from the pumping station to the tainter gate operating equipment. Three bridge spans are provided across the gate openings. Each span is 40 feel clear between abutments. The bridge deck is 10 feet clear between curbs in order to meet the 7 foot doorway width at the pumping station. The deck is supported on two carrying beams with a lubrite type bearing at each end. The bridge is designed to accommodate a fork lift with total load of 10 kips that may be used to remove operating equipment.
There have been no alterations to the gates or the access bridge since 1966.
Pumping Station
The pumping station, located between the west bank and the center of the river, is 68 feet above mean sea level. The station is a reinforced concrete substructure with brick superstructure. It is 213 feet long and 91 feet wide. An access bay, essentially an open wall with the floor at the ground level is located at the west end of the structure.
Within the pumping station is the control room. The control room contains much of the operating mechanics for the structures electrical systems. It is in the control room where electricity is received from the electrical company and into transformers. The transformers are lever operated from the control room. Two independent electrical lines, A and B, run into the opposing east-west ends of the control room. The A line operates the canal gates and the first and second pump, and is located on the west side of the building. The east side line, the B line, controls the river gates and the remaining pumps. Only one line is necessary, while the other is a back-up. Either electrical line may be bused over to the opposite side to provide
