Photo By Samantha Heilig | Lock and Dam 18 undergoes a winter dewatering to enable crews to provide repairs and...... read more read more
Despite having a polar vortex causing record low temperatures across the Midwest, projects at Mississippi River locks and dams are on schedule and expected to be complete by mid-March. Corps maintenance crews and contractors are working around the clock in several locations to complete the work before navigation season returns.
During the winter, Rock Island District maintenance crews take advantage of decreased river traffic to perform critical repairs and maintenance at the locks and dams.
This year, ongoing winter maintenance projects within the District include repairs at Lock and Dam 11, 15, 18 and 20.
At Lock and Dam 11, in Dubuque, Iowa, relief wells are being installed to facilitate future repairs within the lock.
“The wells, which are drilled while the lock is full of water, are designed to alleviate pressure from underneath the lock floor when it’s dewatered for maintenance,” said Gary Kilburg, Lockmaster at Lock and Dam 11. “Now that the wells are all drilled, the lock has been dewatered and caps are being placed on the wells to allow for future control of water flow through each well.”
At Locks and Dam 15, in Rock Island, Illinois, a contractor is working to repair the lower guidewall on the downstream end of the lock. A large section of the lock’s guidewall had to be removed in May 2017 after Rock Island District engineers noticed portions of the wall had moved significantly. Current work being performed by the contractor includes installing 25 drilled shafts on the backside of the guidewall that will accommodate future work. It is anticipated that work on this project will continue during the next two winter maintenance closures.
Downstream at Lock and Dam 18, in Gladstone, Illinois, crews are making critical repairs to bubbler systems which keep lock gates clear of ice and debris. Crews are also replacing miter gate anchorage components that are on the verge of failure. The lock was dewatered earlier this winter to gain access to areas normally inaccessible during the navigation season.
Further down river at Lock and Dam 20 in Canton, Missouri, contractors are replacing worn out gear boxes and miter gate anchorages as well making miscellaneous concrete and electrical system repairs.
According to Tom Heinold, Operations Division Chief for the Rock Island District, replacement of original equipment at this site should reduce damages caused by flooding and increase reliability.
“Winter maintenance projects are critical to ensuring the sustainability of the navigation system on the Upper Mississippi River,” said Heinold.
The Mississippi Valley Division’s regional backlog of maintenance for navigation is valued at over $1 billion with the Rock Island District’s portion at nearly 40 percent of this amount.
“Despite the immense nature of this task, our Rock Island team remains focused and committed to getting the job done,” said Heinold. “It’s a team effort with lots of coordination by many offices throughout the District including Engineering and Construction, Project Management, Contracting and Operations to see these projects through.”
| Date Taken: | 02.26.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 03.06.2019 11:49 |
| Story ID: | 313129 |
| Location: | ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 238 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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