Menasha

Lock Dimensions

144 feet x 35 feet
Sill Depth – 6 feet
Lift – 9.7 feet

Operating Hours

Menasha Lock is closed for the season

The Menasha Lock was closed in late September of 2015 at the request of the Wisconsin DNR to prevent the spread of the invasive round goby. The lock is forecast to be closed for the 2023 navigational season.

The mission of the Fox River Navigational System Authority (FRNSA)  is to rehabilitate, repair, replace, operate, and maintain the navigational system. It is also a goal of the FRNSA to work with the latest science, experts, and representatives from the DNR to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) into the Lake Winnebago system.

We are working with fish researchers and an independent fisheries management firm to review the most recent scientific research on invasive species barriers and solutions that have worked for other communities in the Great Lakes region. Smith-Root, one of the nation’s leaders in aquatic ecosystem management, is designing a plan using a system of an electric deterrent barrier and water flow regulation at the Menasha lock to stop the spread of the round goby.

To learn more about these plans, please visit this link.

The Menasha lock is the furthest upriver lock in the system of locks on the lower Fox River allowing navigation between Lake Winnebago and the lower Fox River, and ultimately, the Great Lakes. Features of the lock are open for pedestrians to see. This is the southern-most lock and represents the first “step-down” towards the eventual river level entering Green Bay. The lock is the beginning of the pedestrian Friendship Trail that ends in Fritze Park with boat tie-ups, rest facilities and play areas for kids.

Fox River Navigational Charts: