Kaskaskia Lock Service Level Upgraded
About 50 people attended the Kaskaskia River Project Industry Day August 22 at the Jerry F. Costello Lock and Dam (formerly the Kaskaskia Lock and Dam), located at the mouth of the Kaskaskia River where it joins the Mississippi River. Attendees participated in site stops that provided updates on repairs to the lock’s miter gate machinery and tainter gates, as well as outlooks for dredging and future operations.
The event also highlighted the lock’s transition from service level two to service level one, which increases the lock’s operating hours, as well as ongoing efforts to maintain reliable navigation. Unique within the St. Louis Engineer District, the lock project is managed through a partnership among the state of Illinois, the Kaskaskia Regional Port District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, each with distinct roles and responsibilities. The event emphasized the importance of collaboration with industry, nonprofit and community partners in the continued operation of the Jerry F. Costello Lock and Dam.
Courtney Wilson, operations project manager for the St. Louis District, Carlyle Lake Project and Kaskaskia River Project, explained the work. Acting St. Louis District Chief of Operations Ashley Cox was on hand, as was Brendon Donovan, the brand-new general manager of the Kaskaskia Regional Port District. Donovan, who was hired in August to succeed Ed Weilbacher, general manager since 2011, discussed new projects the port district has in the works.
The lock is scheduled to be back in operation by September 30, according to Travis Little, assistant operations manager at the lock. Work on the dam will continue until 2027, but it should not interfere with locking operations, Little said.
The transition from Level of Service II to Level of Service I depends on the number of lockages and other factors. In 2024, according to Little, there were 1,714 total lockages, of which 1,143 were commercial. In 2023, out of 1,796 total lockages, 1,171 were commercial vessels.
(Pictures provided by Travis Little, assistant operations manager of Jerry F. Costello Lock and Dam.)
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Featured photo caption: Attendees at an industry day on August 22 at Jerry F. Costello Lock and Dam at the mouth of the Kaskaskia River observe work being done on the lock’s miter gates as well as the dam’s tainter gates. (Photo courtesy of the Corps of Engineers)
