Bertrand H. Snell Lock

lock, Canada

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June 22, 2026

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The Bertrand H. Snell Lock is part of the St. Lawrence Seaway, a joint Canada-United States project completed in 1959. This waterway connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, opening North America's interior to ocean-going vessels. The Snell Lock is located in the United States, near the international boundary between Canada and the U.S. It has a lift of 13.7 meters (45 feet) and is one of several locks that enable ships to navigate the significant elevation changes within the seaway system, particularly between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. The seaway system, including the Snell Lock, facilitates the transport of bulk commodities like grain, iron ore, and coal, significantly impacting trade between the two nations.12

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canals and inland waterways
Major inland waterways of North America
…the international boundary to the Bertrand H. Snell Lock, with its lift of 13.7 meters (45 feet) to the Wiley-Dondero Canal; it then lifts another 11.6 meters (38 feet) by the Dwight D. Eisenhower Lock into Lake St. Lawrence. Leaving the western end of the lake, the seaway bypasses the…
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…the international boundary to the Bertrand H. Snell Lock, with its lift of 13.7 meters (45 feet) to the Wiley-Dondero Canal; it then lifts another 11.6 meters (38 feet) by the Dwight D. Eisenhower Lock into Lake St. Lawrence. Leaving the western end of the lake, the seaway bypasses the…
Read More