Hiram M. Chittenden (Ballard) Locks - name and operation

The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, commonly called the Ballard Locks, are named for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officer Hiram M. Chittenden, who advocated for the Lake Washington Ship Canal. The locks are owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and provide a navigation link between Puget Sound and Seattle's inland lakes while maintaining Lake Washington's regulated level. The Corps continues to manage lock operations, maintenance, and certain fish passage facilities at the site.