The Louisville District End of Year Award Ceremony

Media Releases

Filter Media Releases

Contact a Public Affairs Office

Buffalo District
1-800-833-6390 (option 3)
Chicago District
312-846-5330
Detroit District
313-226-4680
Huntington District
304-399-5353
Louisville District
(502) 315-6766
Nashville District
(615) 736-7161
Pittsburgh District
412-395-7502

News Releases

Results:
Tag: Great Lakes Navigation
Clear
  • Corps of Engineers promotes LeighAnn Ryckeghem to Operations Manager, Soo Project Office

    SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District hires LeighAnn Ryckeghem to the newly named Operations Manager position at the Soo Locks, effective July 1. The Operations Manager, formerly known as the Area Engineer, is responsible for overseeing all Corps of Engineers operations and maintenance activities as well as stakeholder outreach from the Menominee River Watershed in Wisconsin, East across northern Lake Michigan and Huron to the St. Marys River, then West along Lake Superior to Munising, Michigan. The area of responsibility includes maintenance of 13 harbors and offshore channels, maintenance of approximately 70 miles of Federal Navigation Channel in the St. Marys River, and Operation and Maintenance of the Soo Project Office which includes Hydropower, a Class I Visitor Center and the Soo Locks. “This position is vital to providing reliable public service to the maritime industry, hydroelectric power customers, water resource interests, recreational users and the public,” said Operations Division Chief Marie Strum. “The primary responsibilities include leading all aspects of our mission such as safety, labor relations, public outreach, human resources, budgeting, planning, engineering, scheduling, security, operations, maintenance and managing a workforce of 140 employees.”
  • MacArthur Lock opening after seasonal maintenance, extended repair

    The Soo Locks’ MacArthur Lock will open to marine traffic June 19, 2022, after completing a critical repair that took longer than expected. The MacArthur lock was set to reopen in late April but replacing the almost 79-year-old tainter valve machinery, original to the lock built in 1943, caused the closure’s 59-day extension. “The tainter valve machinery replacement contract was a very large task,” Soo Locks Construction Chief Nicholas Pettit said. “The original machinery had to be cut into pieces and removed by crane out through a small access tunnel. The new machinery had to be fabricated in sections, lowered by crane in through the small tunnel and installed inside of the lock.”
  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Awards Contract to Dredge Ashtabula Harbor and Help Create New Wetland Ecosystem

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Buffalo District awarded a $737,000 contract to Toledo, Ohio-based Geo. Gradel Company on March 2 to conduct dredging of the federal navigation channel in Ashtabula Harbor. Material dredged from the harbor will be placed in USACE’s beneficial use project in Ashtabula’s outer harbor, leading to the creation of seven acres of new wetland habitat for plant and animal life in Lake Erie.
  • Soo Locks to open March 25 for 2022 shipping season

    SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, Soo Area Office will open the Poe Lock, 12:01 a.m., March 25, marking the 2022 Great Lakes shipping season start. The operating season is fixed by federal regulation and driven in part by the feasibility of vessels operating in typical Great Lakes ice conditions. The Poe Lock officially closed January 16 to undergo critical repairs and maintenance during the 10 week-long winter shutdown. Maintenance crews performed a variety of critical tasks on the Poe Lock, including hydraulic steel structure inspections, miter gate bottom girder structural repair and seal replacement, miter gate pintle concrete repairs, valve machinery repairs, and dewatering system maintenance.
  • Significant Navigation Upgrades Being Made to Cleveland Harbor Infrastructure

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Buffalo District is making more than $16 million in upgrades to the breakwaters that protect critical infrastructure in Cleveland Harbor. As part of multiple projects, repairs and extensions are being made to portions of the more than five-mile-long structure which allows for navigation between the City of Cleveland and Lake Erie. This ensures the harbor’s ongoing value to the local and national economy.
  • MacArthur Lock closing for seasonal repair, maintenance

    SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich., - The Soo Locks’ MacArthur Lock will close to marine traffic 7:00 a.m. Dec. 15, 2021 through 12:01 a.m. April 30, 2022 to perform critical maintenance. The Poe Lock will remain open until 11:59 p.m. Jan. 15, 2022 or until commercial traffic ceases, whichever occurs first. The operating season is fixed by federal regulation and is driven in part by vessel operation ability in typical ice conditions. “The 800-foot-long MacArthur Lock, built in 1943, is 78 years old; the maintenance period is critical to keeping the lock in operation during the shipping season,” Maintenance Branch Chief LeighAnn Ryckeghem said.
  • New Lock moves forward with Phase 2 contract award

    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials announce the New Lock at the Soo second phase construction contract is awarded to Kokosing Alberici LLC of Westerville, Ohio. The much-anticipated mega-project will take three phases to construct. Kokosing Alberici will receive more than $111 million to complete phase two. This contract will stabilize the existing approach walls, allowing modern vessels to tie up and wait their turn to pass through the new lock. Construction will begin in spring 2021 and take about two years to complete. "The Corps looks forward to beginning construction on the upstream approach walls next spring, and we continue to work hard to maintain the pace and meet all milestones in bringing our nation's New Lock at the Soo to fruition,” said Detroit District Commander Lt. Col. Scott Katalenich.
  • Corps’ Detroit office awards dredging contract for Holland Harbor

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, recently awarded a contract for dredging in western Michigan, on Lake Michigan. The Corps awarded a maintenance dredging contract for Holland (Outer) Harbor in June to Luedtke Engineering Company from Frankfort, Michigan. The contract (award number W911 XK20C0012) was for more than $455,000 to dredge almost 49,000 cubic yards of material from Holland (Outer) Harbor. Material from the site will be placed near the shoreline in the most landward eight foot depth starting north of the breakwater. “This important work will keep the shipping channel open as part of the Great Lakes Navigation System as an economically and environmentally viable means of transporting commodities,” said Bob Jarema, project manager.
  • New Lock at the Soo construction award to deepen channel

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, announces that the first phase of construction
  • Soo Locks closed for planned seasonal repairs and maintenance

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, announces the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie,
Chick Lock

Through deeds, not words, we are BUILDING STRONG®