Courtesy Photo | This photo shows the pintle assembly at the land side gate at Wilson Lock in Florence,...... read more read more
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 22, 2025) – The Wilson Lock gate repair project has experienced a schedule shift due to a combination of weather delays, technical challenges, and the sequencing of critical path tasks. These factors have resulted in a delay of three weeks, extending the project's completion date from mid-June to early July 2025.
However, the district has completed the process of jacking both main chamber gates, exposing the cracked pintle assemblies that need to be replaced.
Heavy rains in late March elevated water levels in the Tennessee River downstream of Wilson Dam, where the Corps has installed a caisson, a temporary barrier that keeps water from entering the lock.
Evacuation procedures are initiated when tailwater levels in the lock’s approach canal near the top of this closure structure so personnel and equipment can be removed in advance of any potential overtopping.
“The tailwater at Wilson Dam nearly crested the caisson several times over the last few weeks,” said Brian Mangrum, chief of the Technical Support Branch at the USACE Nashville District. “Because of this, we exhausted the adverse weather days we had built into our estimated timeline.”
The USACE team continues to evaluate the necessary repairs at Wilson Lock and is committed to exploring every opportunity to expedite remaining work in a safe manner.
“Repairing Wilson Lock is a national priority for the Corps, and we are moving as quickly as we can to get it up and running again,” said Mangrum. “However, the safety of our employees and anyone who uses the lock will always come first.”
Working through the weekend, crews at the lock jacked both land and river side gates on Sunday, exposing the damaged pintle assemblies so they can be replaced. Each gate weighs approximately 650 tons and is lifted using a series of hydraulic jacks.
“Addressing the challenges that come with maintaining infrastructure is never easy, but this team is working day and night to accomplish it,” said Lt. Col. Robert Green, commander of the USACE Nashville District. “I’m proud of this team’s relentless drive to get this critical lock moving traffic and goods again.”
Wilson Lock is scheduled to re-open in early July following the complete replacement of the pintle assembly components and completion of other structural repairs to both main chamber miter gates.
The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s website at https://www.lrd.usace.army.mil/About/Districts/Nashville-District/ on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps and on X (formerly Twitter) at www.x.com/nashvillecorps. Follow us on LinkedIn for the latest Nashville District employment and contracting opportunities at https://www.linkedin.com/company/u-s-army-corps-of-engineers-nashville-district.
| Date Taken: | 04.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.22.2025 14:23 |
| Story ID: | 495892 |
| Location: | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, US |
| Hometown: | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, US |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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