New Lock Closure Date

The Mississippi Valley Division of the Corps of Engineers agreed with industry requests to move the date of the scheduled closure of Lock 25 from March 22 to March 8. The closure, which will allow the installation of devices called project logic controllers, was estimated to last between five and seven days. The news was sent in an email from the River Industry Executive Task Force (RIETF).

The Corps will attempt to allow intermittent barge traffic to pass after the first three to four days of work. Industry members of RIETF met with the Mississippi Valley Division on February 26 concerning closures at Locks 24 and 25 and high water on the Mississippi River and in the Tennessee River valley. RIETF said its goal was to align the work on Lock 25 as closely as possible with the opening of Lock 20 on March 5.

RIETF will continue discussions on the best dates for similar work on Lock 24 this summer.

Lock and Dam 25 is located at Winfield, Mo., above the confluence of the Mississippi with the Illinois River.

RIETF also discussed high water on the Lower Mississippi River with the Corps.

RIETF said this has been the wettest season in 124 years from St. Louis south.