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News Releases

Crooked River Lock reopens on time for 2024 season

Detroit District
Published April 29, 2024
The Crooked River Lock, seen in this July 4, 2023 file image, in Alanson, Michigan will reopen April 29 after undergoing maintenance work during the winter to replace aging electrical components. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Brandon Hubbard)

The Crooked River Lock, seen in this July 4, 2023 file image, in Alanson, Michigan will reopen April 29 after undergoing maintenance work during the winter to replace aging electrical components. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Brandon Hubbard)

The Crooked River Lock in Alanson, Michigan will open today, April 29, for the 2024 recreational boating season after undergoing a series of repairs during the offseason. 

“Since the Crooked River Lock closed for the season the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Soo Project Office, Maintenance team replaced, programmed and tested faulty safety modules and a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD), which is a type of motor controlling speed and torque,” said LeighAnn Ryckeghem, Soo Project Office Operations Manager. “Water level sensors have also been replaced and calibrated and are fully functional for reporting hourly water level data. All pre-inspections and machinery greasing have also been completed to open the lock on time.” 

USACE Crooked River water level data from the can be found at: 

 https://lre-wm.usace.army.mil/reports/crookedRiver/crookedRiverLockHourlyLevels/crookedRiverLockHourlyLevels.html 

Electrical issues related to the faulty safety modules forced the lock to close early in  fall 2023 and undergo repairs to its aging components. 

The Corps of Engineers originally built the clamshell-style lock in the mid-1950s to maintain the water levels in Pickerel Lake and Crooked Lake. It remains owned by the Corps of Engineers but leased to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR). Emmet County, under a sublease with the MDNR, to operate and staff the lock during the spring to fall boating season.  

About 10,000 lockages are performed at the lock each year on the recreationally popular, 40-mile Inland Waterway. The route connects Lake Huron with five lakes and three rivers inland into Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.  

In 2020, it was the third busiest Corps of Engineers recreational lock.  

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, maintains a navigation system of 81 harbors and channels joining lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, St. Clair and Erie.   

The Detroit District provides vital public engineering services in peace and war to secure our Nation, protect the environment, energize our economy and reduce risks from natural disasters.  

 

2024 CROOKED RIVER LOCK SEASON SCHEDULE 

April 29 – May 12: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. 

May 13 – June 23: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. 

June 24 – August 4: 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. 

August 5 – September 2: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. 

September 3 – September 29: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. 

October 5 – October 6 (weekend): 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. 

October 12 – October 13 (weekend): 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. 

October 19 – October 20 (weekend): 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. 

For more information about fees and operations, visit https://www.emmetcounty.org/parks-recreation/crooked-river-lock-2/ 


Contact
Brandon Hubbard
(313) 500-3251
brandon.c.hubbard@usace.army.mil
477 Michigan Ave. Detroit, Michigan 48130

Release no. 24-063

Chick Lock

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