Ortona Dam - Ortona, Florida, USA
Posted by: 
BoomersOTR
N 26° 47.317 W 081° 18.240
17R E 469782 N 2963059
Dam located next to the Ortona Lock along the Caloosahatchee Canal between Moore Haven and LaBelle, Florida.
Waymark Code: WMZNV8
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 12/10/2018
Views: 1
When the Okeechobee Waterway/Caloosahatchee Canal was dredged a series of locks and dams were built. The Ortona Dam is part of the Ortona Lock and Dam facility. The lock and dam were constructed in 1937 for navigation purposes. The lock and dam were built to replace a previous lock built in 1912. This dam is located near the former Caloosahatchee Rapids/Falls.
According to Rae Ann Wessel of the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, "water would settle first in Lake Hicopochee, then Lettuce Lake and Bonnet Lake, until it reached, Lake Flirt above the Caloosahatchee valley. At the western end of Lake Flirt a rock formation created a quarter mile of rapids which fed the Caloosahatchee. Below the falls, the Caloosahatchee was a crooked, winding river that slowed the flow and provided natural filtration as the water moved slowly downriver."
Today the lock is used for navigational purposes and the dam is used for flood control. Visitors can cross the dam to get to the lock and the fishing pier just west of the dam. Ample parking is available with restrooms nearby.
The dam is one of five locks and dams managed by the US Army Corp of Engineers. The dam is located 15.5 miles west of the Moore Haven Lock and Dam, and 27.9 miles east of the Franklin Lock and Dam.
Waterway where the dam is located: Okeechobee Waterway/Caloosahatchee Canal
Main use of the Water Dam: Flood Control
Material used in the structure: Concrete
Date built: 01/01/1937
Fishing Allowed: yes
Motor Sports Allowed: no
Height of Dam: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Photo of the Dam and a description of your visit.