Consolidated Lock Closures

The Illinois Waterway, which provides a navigable connection between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River, includes eight lock and dam sites which are long overdue for significant repairs. In order to facilitate repairs, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District developed a consolidated repair schedule, which included a short closure to locks in 2019 followed by two extended closures in 2020 and 2023. The closures are scheduled to take place simultaneously to lessen impact to commercial navigation as much as possible.  

All lock and dam facilities on the Illinois Waterway have a single lock chamber for passing vessels. During the scheduled closures, no vessels will be able to pass through the affected locks. An exception to this restriction could occur at the LaGrange and Peoria locks if water levels become high enough that the wicket portions of the dams could be lowered for open-pass. This would allow vessels to pass around the dam without using the lock. There is no guarantee river levels will be high during the closures. Navigation on the rest of the river, between the locks, will not be impacted by the closures. Recreational and commercial vessels will be able to navigate within the pools without restriction. 

**NOTICE** The Illinois Waterway Lock Closures are now underway. Should changes to the schedule be needed, they will be posted in RED on this website as soon as they are available.

**NOTE: Projects and dates listed below are contractual completion dates and do not necessarily reflect the exact date each lock will reopen. The schedule is subject to change due to river levels, weather conditions, health and safety concerns due to COVID-19, project funding, and unknown circumstances that may be discovered during rehabilitation.  

2020

LaGrange Lock and Dam – Opened to navigation Oct. 13.  - Intermittent delays may occur. 

Peoria Lock and Dam – Opened to navigation Sept. 30.  - Future 8-hour closures may be needed. These will be announced via the Navigation Notices website.

Starved Rock Lock and Dam – Upper & Lower Miter Gate Installation

• Full closure scheduled July 1-Oct. 29 

Marseilles Lock and Dam – Upper Miter Gate Installation

• Full closure scheduled July 6-Oct. 29 

Dresden Island Lock and Dam – Upper Bulkhead Recess Installation

• Partial closure scheduled July 6-Oct. 7 and Oct. 25-28 - Updated 10/13/2020
  • Locks operational from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. with a 70-ft width restriction and no ability to pull unpowered barges.
• Full closure scheduled Oct. 7-24 - Lock scheduled to return to partial closure operations Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. - Updated 10/13/2020

SPECIAL NOTICE (Updated 10/05/20): Two 12-hour closures are anticipated at the Lockport Lock the week of November 30, 2020 (most likely 11/30 and 12/01). These closures are needed for the Rock Island District to provide repair and maintenance support to the Chicago District facility.  Additional 10-12 hour closures are also anticipated for late Dec. 2020/Jan. 2021 but these dates and times have not yet been set. These will be announced via the Navigation Notices website. 

2023

Dresden Island Lock and Dam – Upper Miter Gate Installation & Electrical Rehab

• Full closure scheduled Summer 2023, approx. 90-120 days

Marseilles Lock and Dam – Electrical Rehab

• Full closure scheduled Summer 2023, approx. 90-120 days

Starved Rock Lock and Dam – Sector Gear Rehab

• Full closure scheduled Summer 2023, approx. 90-120 days

Brandon Road Lock and Dam – Upper Bulkhead Recess Installation & Upper Miter Gate Installation

• Potential to include work at this site if construction projects were approved and funded as part of the Great Lakes Mississippi River Interbasin Study at Brandon Road (GLMRIS-BR).

Currently, no work is scheduled in 2020 at the three locks closest to Lake Michigan (Brandon Road, Lockport and T.J. O’Brien), if there are unforeseen failures, maintenance needs or construction requirements that occur between now and the scheduled closures in 2020 and 2023, the work will be coordinated to coincide with the scheduled closures as much as possible.

Questions concerning the scheduled 2020 lock closures may be directed to 309-794-5729 or CEMVR-CC@usace.army.mil.