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Julian Keen, Jr. Lock and Dam

The lake gate at the west end, formerly the Moore Haven Lock and Dam, with a government yacht basin of four slips.

West side of Lake OkeechobeeLast checked 22 Oct 2026
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waterway mile
78.0
lock chamber
250 × 50 ft
slips in the government yacht basin
4
lockages a year
about 9,200

Depths come from operators, the Coast Pilot, cruiser reports or a seabed model. This is not a nautical chart and does not tell you whether you will get through – use official charts and Local Notices to Mariners.

Overview

The Julian Keen, Jr. Lock and Dam stands at Mile 78.0, on the west side of Lake Okeechobee where the lake meets the Caloosahatchee River. It was the Moore Haven Lock and Dam until USACE renamed it to honor fallen FWC Officer Julian Keen, Jr.; Coast Pilot 4 still calls it Moore Haven Lock throughout, which is worth knowing when reading the chapter alongside this page.

The chamber is 250 by 50 feet and the approach channel 90 feet wide and 8 feet deep. The lift between the Caloosahatchee River and the lake is usually 1 to 2 feet. The upper gates serve as hurricane gates. The lock and dam were built in 1935 for navigation and flood control, and the discharge capacity is 9,300 cubic feet per second. About 9,200 vessels lock through in a year, roughly 96 percent of them recreational.

The depth the sources agree on

This is one of the two locks on the waterway where the two primary sources give the same number. USACE publishes "50 feet wide x 250 feet long x 10 feet" for the chamber, and Coast Pilot 4 gives a least depth of 10 feet over the sills. Elsewhere on the waterway the two part company, and at St. Lucie and Ortona the Coast Pilot even disagrees with itself. Here it does not. Depths change all the same – the gauge at the lock shows the day's figure.

Waiting and locking through

Two standby areas have been established for vessels waiting to pass: one about 275 yards northwest of the lock at the junction of the canals, the other 150 yards southwest of it. Coast Pilot 4 is blunt about why they exist – during periods of discharge through the lock the currents and turbulence are extremely hazardous to all craft, and no craft is to come nearer to the lock than the standby areas until discharge has stopped and the water pool has stabilized.

A public address system is installed; craft approach for passage only on instruction from the locktender. USACE gives the hours as 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., 365 days a year, with the last lockage beginning at 4:30 p.m., against Coast Pilot 4's 0600 to 2130 daily. Radio is channel 13 for the locks and 9 for the bridges. The lock answers on 863-946-0414.

Berths at the lock

Coast Pilot 4 reports a Government yacht basin with 4 slips for overnight mooring of medium-size boats at this lock, fresh water available at the lock, and government-owned tie-up dolphins immediately above and below it. The city docks at Moore Haven lie a short way downstream of the lock.

Facilities

  • Government yacht basin4 slips for overnight mooring of medium-size boats
  • Fresh wateravailable at the lock
  • Tie-up dolphinsgovernment-owned, immediately above and below the lock
  • Public address systemyes; craft approach only on instruction from the locktender

Good to know

  • Two names, one lock. USACE calls it the Julian Keen, Jr. Lock and Dam; Coast Pilot 4 and older charts call it Moore Haven Lock. Same structure, Mile 78.0.
  • The upper gates are hurricane gates. They close against the lake, which is why this lock and the dike either side of it matter beyond navigation.
  • Fresh water at the lock. Coast Pilot 4 reports fresh water available at the lock, alongside the four-slip Government yacht basin.

Rules that apply here

  • Keep outside the standby areas while the lock discharges. Coast Pilot 4: "Under no circumstances shall any craft approach nearer to the lock than the standby areas until discharge has been stopped and the water pool stabilized."
  • Approach only on instruction. Craft coming to the lock should approach the passage only upon receiving instructions from the locktender through the loudspeaker system.
  • Life jackets on, engines off. The lock operator requires every person aboard to wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket and engines to be turned off.

Questions

Is the Julian Keen lock the same as Moore Haven Lock?

Yes. USACE renamed the Moore Haven Lock and Dam to honor fallen FWC Officer Julian Keen, Jr. Coast Pilot 4 still calls it Moore Haven Lock throughout chapter 12, and it is at Mile 78.0 under either name.

How deep is the Julian Keen lock?

USACE publishes 10 feet for the chamber and Coast Pilot 4 gives a least depth of 10 feet over the sills – one of the two locks on the waterway where the two sources agree. Depths change; the gauge at the lock shows the day's figure.

Where do I wait for the Julian Keen lock?

In one of the two standby areas: about 275 yards northwest of the lock at the junction of the canals, or 150 yards southwest of it. Coast Pilot 4 warns that during discharge through the lock the currents and turbulence are extremely hazardous to all craft, and that no craft should come nearer than the standby areas until discharge has stopped and the pool has stabilized.

Can I moor overnight at the Julian Keen lock?

Coast Pilot 4 reports a Government yacht basin with 4 slips for overnight mooring of medium-size boats, with fresh water at the lock. The Moore Haven City Docks are a short way downstream.

Sources & checks

Written by buoya editorial from the sources above. Every figure was checked against its source on 22 Oct 2026. Found something wrong? Report a correction.