The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center recently installed six new CorpsCam cameras at McAlpine Lock and Dam in Louisville, Kentucky, to explore the use of imagery in automating the Lock Performance Management System. Currently, LPMS relies on manual data entry by lock operators.
“It is research related to the feasibility of artificial intelligence cameras at Locks and Dams. It has the potential to be expanded to USACE Locks nationwide and McAlpine is the test site,” said Jay Rickman, McAlpine Lock and Dam lockmaster.
According to a report, ERDC is leveraging automation to improve the safety and efficiency of operations across the USACE's lock network. The current manual data entry process often leads to record inconsistencies, such as typographical errors or incomplete information, while also diverting lock staff from other essential tasks.
In mid-September, over the course of two days, the team set up cameras at various points around McAlpine Locks and Dam to evaluate their capability to capture key information, including vessel type, barge number, water levels, lockage times and vessel drafts. These new CorpsCam cameras will play a key role in advancing the development and testing of photogrammetry, AI, and machine learning tools for real-time operational applications.
This new research and development project’s objective was to reduce the manual data entry that often slows down operations. The initiative was a collaboration between the LPMS program and the Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, aiming to streamline data collection and improve efficiency across the USACE network, according to the report.
In December 2024, a team of CHL researchers visited McAlpine Lock and Dam to calibrate a set of existing closed-circuit television cameras to use advanced algorithms and assess how well they could function in the complex environment of inland navigation. It was an exciting step forward for the team, as the potential to improve real-time data collection was significant.
“This is a big step forward,” Rickman said. “We’re on the brink of transforming how we gather and analyze critical data, making operations more efficient and reducing the workload on our staff.”
In 2024, McAlpine Locks and Dam completed 4,530 commercial lockages, accommodating more than 29,000 loaded barges and over 16,000 empty ones. Last year, nearly 55 million tons of commercial goods passed through the locks, reinforcing its critical role in the region and nation’s economy.