Lake Washington Ship Canal and Hiram M. Chittenden (Ballard) Locks - 1917 lake lowering

The Lake Washington Ship Canal, including the Hiram M. Chittenden (Ballard) Locks, was completed in 1917 and connected Lake Washington and Lake Union to Puget Sound. Construction of the canal and locks permanently lowered the level of Lake Washington by about 8.8 feet. The project reshaped Seattle’s shoreline, opened new navigation routes, and altered local tidal and river flows around the city.