Ballard (Hiram M. Chittenden) Locks

The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, or Ballard Locks, are a complex of concrete chambers and a massive spillway stretching across Salmon Bay. They separate the saltwater of Puget Sound from the freshwater of Lake Washington and Lake Union. By raising and lowering vessels between these two distinct water levels, the locks permit boats to navigate from the ocean into the city’s inland harbor.