Locks 27 at Chain of Rocks Canal closed for emergency repairs
ST. LOUIS – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has closed Locks 27 at Chain of Rocks Canal, to commercial and recreational traffic for emergency repairs.
The lock, near Granite City, Ill., was closed Saturday at 10:54 a.m. when Corps of Engineers lock crews discovered damage to one of the lock’s protection cells. Although the lock structure is not at risk, the damage has obstructed safe passage through the main and auxiliary chambers. The timeline for reopening the lock chambers is unknown as the repair process continues.
Damage to the protection cells stemmed from additional wear on a non-armored section of the lock’s protection cell that is typically under 15- to 20-feet of water.
“Repair crews are on site working to clear the channel and ensure tows can move safely through the locks,” Andy Schimpf, St. Louis District Navigation manager said. “We are in coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard and the river industries.”
The Mississippi River watershed basin is the largest navigable inland waterway system in the world, providing the U.S. enormous economic advantages. Lock 27 receives the most commercial navigation traffic on the Upper Mississippi River corridor.
The Corps facilitates commercial navigation by providing safe, reliable, highly cost-effective, and sustainable waterborne transportation systems.
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