Lindy C. Boggs Lock and Dam (also known as Lock and Dam No. 1) is the first structure in the five-lock-and-dam system on the J. Bennett Johnston Waterway (formerly the Red River Waterway) in Louisiana. Located at Red River mile 43.8, about 11 miles north of Marksville in Avoyelles/Catahoula Parish, it was completed and became operational in 1984.
History
Congress authorized the overall Red River Waterway Project in the River and Harbor Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-483) to create a reliable 9-foot-deep by 200-foot-wide navigation channel from the Mississippi River (via Old River) to Shreveport, Louisiana. The full system, costing around $1.9 billion, included channel realignments, bank stabilization, and the five locks/dams. It opened to commercial traffic in phases, with the entire waterway becoming fully operational in late 1994/early 1995. The lock and dam was later named after U.S. Representative Lindy Claiborne Boggs. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District operates and maintains it, while the Red River Waterway Commission serves as the local sponsor.
Mission
Its primary mission is to support inland navigation by providing a controlled pool and a lock chamber (typically 705 ft x 84 ft) that allows commercial tows to pass between river pools despite the river's natural fluctuations and sediment load. The "stair-step" system of locks and dams maintains minimum water depths, manages high sediment in this alluvial river, and enables reliable year-round (24/7) barge traffic. It also contributes to broader river management, including some flood-related functions and recreation at associated areas (fishing, boating, picnicking).
Benefits to the Nation
The lock and dam is a key component of the J. Bennett Johnston Waterway, which handles millions of tons of commodities annually (historically cited around 9 million tons across the system) — including agricultural products, aggregates, petroleum, and other goods — providing cost-effective, fuel-efficient transport to regional, national, and international markets via connections to the Mississippi River system.
Economic impacts include support for ports, jobs (over 1,300 directly tied to the waterway in some studies), and broader regional growth. A 2013 economic study of the waterway estimated billions in total impacts to Louisiana (new spending, sales, earnings, and jobs over time), with matching public-private investments. Benefits extend nationally through reduced transportation costs, supply chain efficiency for heartland agriculture and industry, energy savings compared to rail/truck, and enhanced economic competitiveness. The project also offers recreational opportunities and helps stabilize the river environment in the managed pools.