Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) – LaGrange Lock and Dam 1200-ft Lock

Rock Island District
Published Aug. 30, 2024
LaGrange New 1200 Foot Lock Project

LaGrange New 1200 Foot Lock Project

Location:

LaGrange Lock and Dam is 80.2 miles above the confluence of the Illinois River and Mississippi River at Grafton, Illinois, and 7.8 miles below Beardstown, Illinois.

Description:

The Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) area comprises the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS), as defined by Congress in the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (WRDA 1986), which includes the Upper Mississippi River from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Cairo, Illinois; the Illinois Waterway from Chicago to Grafton, Illinois; and navigable portions of the Minnesota, St. Croix, Black, and Kaskaskia Rivers. This multi-use resource supports an extensive navigation system (made up of 1200 miles of 9-foot channel and 37 lock and dam sites), a diverse ecosystem (2.7 million acres of habitat supporting hundreds of fish and wildlife species), floodplain agriculture, recreation, and tourism. Based on the recommendation of the UMR-IWW System Navigation Feasibility Study that examined system needs over the next 50 years, the NESP program was implemented to achieve the dual purposes of UMRS ecosystem restoration and navigation improvements. The LaGrange New 1200-foot Lock is the second priority of seven new 1200-foot Lock Projects being implemented under the NESP program.

The majority of the Upper Mississippi River 600-foot lock chambers were designed and constructed in the 1930s. The 600-foot lock chambers cause significant delays to navigation because of double lockage's required for tows larger than 600-feet. The new 1200-foot lock will significantly reduce delays and increase safety.

Project features include construction of new 1200-foot rock-founded lock located landward of the existing 600-foot chamber, associated lock support buildings, approach walls, and approach channels. The existing 600-foot lock will remain in place and become an auxiliary lock chamber. The project also includes associated channel work, relocations/alterations, and site-specific environmental mitigation.

Status:

The project has been funded for design, a total of $70.8M. Design is underway for all project features, with final design of all features scheduled to be complete in September 2025. The anticipated project implementation sequencing consists of miter gates and machinery acquisition, land clearing and utilities, cofferdam and foundation construction, lock wall and supporting facilities construction, guidewall construction, and approach channel excavation. The team is prioritizing efforts to develop the construction contract acquisition strategy, perform industry (navigation and construction contractor) engagement, and preparing the initial project features for construction. The first construction contract (machinery fabrication) will be awarded by 30 September 2024, utilizing FY24 appropriations.  

Congressional Support:

The LaGrange new 1200-foot lock received a total of $70.8M through Earmark funding over the past two fiscal years for project design.

Key Takeaways:

  • The project is funded and under contract for 100% design and is currently at a 35% design-level.
  • The first construction contract (machinery fabrication) will be awarded by 30 September 2024. The fabrication work is expected to take 4-5 years to complete.
  • Navigation funding was not included in the draft House and Senate FY25 appropriations bills. This is a concern for the project, as labor funding is required to administer the LaGrange design and fabrication contract in FY25. Without funding in FY25, some activities may be required to go on “pause” until future funding arrives.
  • The project has closely coordinated with HQUSACE and the Navigation Industry during development of the 2024 Inland Waterways Users Board Capital Investment Strategy. The project is in the “top 3” priorities for inland navigation construction.

Additional Information:

Authority:

CG – Construction - Title VIII of Water Resources Development Act 2007, P.L. 110-114 and WRDA 2022, P.L. 117-263.

Summarized Project Costs:

Estimated Federal Cost

$TBD

Estimated Non-Federal Cost

$0

Estimated Total Project Cost

$TBD

Allocations Prior to FY 2024

$70,816,000

FY 2024 Allocation

$40,000,000

FY 2025 President’s Budget

$0

FY 2025 Total Capability

  $100,000,000

 

Major Work Item Current Year

FY2024:

  • Project design, construction acquisition planning
  • Hydraulic steel structure fabrication contract award for the future 1200’ lock

Major Work Item Next Fiscal Year

FY2025:

  • Design advancement to 100%
  • Hydraulic steel structure fabrication for the future 1200’ lock.