Corps of Engineers set to perform maintenance at three locks this winter

ST. PAUL, Minn. –The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is preparing for major repairs at three of its Mississippi River locks this winter to ensure they continue working as designed.

Maintenance is scheduled at Lock and Dam 6, near Trempealeau, Wisconsin; Lock and Dam 8, near Genoa, Wisconsin; and Lock and Dam 9, near Lynxville, Wisconsin, Dec. 10 – March 13, 2020. The work will be completed by Kraemer North America, from Plain, Wisconsin. The work includes concrete repairs and repairs to the tow haul rail system, which is used to move barges upstream of the lock chamber when a tow is heading north and there is a need to break the tow into two lockages. A tow with more than six barges must be split up when going through a lock due to size limitations.

All of the construction activities are scheduled to be completed during the winter to avoid impacts to the navigation industry. The completed work will improve safety for Corps lock operators and industry deckhands. 

“Having the tow haul rail system working is critical to keeping our lock staff safe and ensuring navigation vessels can efficiently lock through our facilities,” said Jim Rand, St. Paul District locks and dams chief. “With a lot of this infrastructure more than 80 years old, it’s critical that we find value-added solutions to maintain the system and ensure navigation continues transporting commodities made in the Upper Midwest to global markets.”

The construction activities are a part of more than $18 million dollars in scheduled repairs at several St. Paul District locks over the next three years.

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