2 Jan 2013

Lock receives facelift

Lock and Dam 20 is the second location within the Mississippi River Project to receive newly designed miter gates. The new gates replaced the original gates that had been in place since the lock opened in 1935.

2 Jan 2013

District Divers work to repair aging wicket dams

Eighty years of wear and tear can cause significant stress to any man-made structure. The wicket dams on the Illinois River at Peoria Lock and Dam and Lagrange Lock and Dam have weathered 80 years of relentless currents, barge traffic and the daily rigors of operation. The wicket dams have maintained their functionality through the decades thanks in large part to the efforts of the crews tasked with their upkeep. Crews like the District’s dive team.

2 Jan 2013

Routine maintenance maintains channel

The drought conditions have many people questioning the depth of the river and its reliability for moving cargo up and down the river. For the Upper Mississippi River, the locks and dams as well as other river improvement structures are doing their job of maintaining the 9-foot navigation channel authorized by Congress. On the lower river, however, the unusually dry conditions continue to be a burden threatening closures, reduced loads and major delays for the barge industry and partners.