Discovering Ontario · Drawing 14 of 32
The Peterborough Lift Lock
Peterborough
At Peterborough, two large tanks filled with water act as a lift for boats. When one goes up, the other comes down, like a seesaw.
Did you know?
A little extra water is added to the top tank. It becomes heavier, sinks and pushes the other one up, with no engine.
Look together
What goes up and down with the boat here?
An idea to try
With an adult, act out one tank moving up while the other moves down. Compare this with the changing water level in an ordinary lock.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
This hydraulic lock on the Trent–Severn Waterway carries boats in two water-filled chambers. Rams support the chambers. The system balances their weights and uses extra water to start the movement. The illustration is a simplified view of the structure, not a construction plan.
Sources and illustration notes (2)
Simplified interpretation for colouring. Settings and people may be combined or imagined. Details, distances and proportions are not a measured record of the place.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- Parks Canada: Lock 21, Peterborough Lift LockPlace, history or natural feature described on this page.
- Parks Canada — Peterborough Lift Lock National Historic Site of CanadaExtra water is let into the upper chamber; the heavier chamber automatically descends and forces the lower one up.
Page prepared on October 3, 2026. Illustrations are simplified for colouring.
This drawing is from the book My Ontario to Colour
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