Today, crews at Starved Rock Lock and Dam in Ottawa, Illinois, began dredging the lock chamber in preparation for the closure as part of the 2020 Illinois Waterway Consolidated Closures.
According to the Army Corps Rock Island District, they are cleaning excess silt, sand and debris from the chamber floor in preparation for the upcoming dewatering.
The Illinois Waterway, which provides a navigable connection between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River, includes eight lock and dam sites which are long overdue for significant repairs.
In order to facilitate repairs, USACE Rock Island District has developed a consolidated repair schedule, which included a short closure to locks in 2019 followed by two extended closures in 2020 and 2023.
The closures are scheduled to take place simultaneously to lessen impact to commercial navigation as much as possible.
For more information on the 2020 closures, which begin July 1, please click here .