8 May 2021

Soo Locks Visitor Center reopens

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich., – The Detroit District’s Soo Area Office is reopening the Soo Locks Visitor Center in Canal Park 9:00 a.m. May 9. The Detroit District is working diligently to safely open the Visitor Center while following federal and state COVID-19 guidelines. Exhibits are spaced to help visitors observe social distancing while learning more about the Soo Locks and hand sanitizer is available near popular hands-on exhibits. Building occupancy is currently limited to 90 people at a time and masks are required to enter. “We are glad to be able to open the Visitor Center again. Over the past year, we added some exciting new exhibits for visitors to enjoy,” Chief Park Ranger Michelle Briggs said. New exhibits include a Soo Locks virtual tour and a simulator allowing visitors to take the controls of a reproduction 1943 panel of the MacArthur Lock and complete a lockage.

7 May 2021

2021 Engineer’s Day being Re-Engineered

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich., - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and City of Sault Ste. Marie are re-engineering the Soo Locks 2021 Engineer’s Day to protect vessel crew members and essential lock workers while complying with current federal and state COVID-19 guidelines. The City will host an event focusing on downtown city merchants, vendors, the Soo Locks and water safety. The City and the Sault Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) welcome the public and visitors to attend Engineer’s Day Re-Engineered 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, June 25. “The Soo Locks are so important to our history and our community, this annual event helps us celebrate that,” said Linda Hoath, director of the Sault Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. “It is a great time to expand the event beyond the Soo Locks complex.”

7 May 2021

LTC Eli Adams: Ohio Harbor Dredging 2021 Update

The Buffalo District is proud of its role in supporting commercial navigation for Ohio’s harbors. Operation and maintenance and dredging of Ohio harbors by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is critical to the economy of Ohio, the Great Lakes region, and the United States

3 May 2021

Public meeting to be held to share Lock 53 demolition blasting plan

A public meeting is being held in Olmsted, Illinois, Tuesday, May 11, to inform the community about the blasting plan for the upcoming demolition work at Lock and Dam 53 on the Ohio River.

7 Apr 2021

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to resume Rochester Harbor east pier repairs

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, and its contractor, Dean Marine & Excavating, Inc., are scheduled to resume repairs of the Rochester Harbor east pier, located in Rochester, New York, in April 2021.

19 Mar 2021

Soo Locks open early for 2021 shipping season

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich., – The Detroit District’s Soo Area Office will open the Poe Lock noon, March 24, marking the 2021 Great Lakes shipping season start. The shipping industry requested an early season opening to ensure safety of the vessels. “We believe a 1200 EST opening on 24 March 2021 provides a safer timeframe for vessels to transit Whitefish Bay and the St. Mary’s River. It facilitates U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) icebreaking prior to and after the initial lock transits,” James Weakley, President of the Lake Carriers’ Association said. “The efficiency of icebreaking for the first transits is the primary driver for this request.”

16 Mar 2021

Louisville District installs fee machines at Green River Area lakes

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District has installed automated fee machines at many of the recreation areas in the Green River Area, which includes Rough, Nolin, Barren, and Green River Lakes in Kentucky. Starting April 1, 2021, these areas will no longer accept cash as payment. The automated fee machines accept payments for day-use passes and/or annual passes by credit card only.

11 Mar 2021

Great Lakes water levels lower than 2020 heading into spring rise

DETROIT- Great Lake water levels in 2021 are tracking below last year’s levels, though Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, St. Clair and Erie remain well above long-term average levels, according to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials who track and forecast Great Lakes water levels. Lake Ontario recently fell slightly below long-term average levels. The February 2021 monthly mean water levels ranged from 7 to 23 inches below levels from this time last year. Since November 2020, the Great Lakes basin experienced four consecutive months of below average precipitation. This combined with a cold air outbreak during February led to increased evaporation across the lakes and caused a St. Clair River ice jam to develop. When ice jams occur, water levels downstream of the restriction decline, while water levels upstream of the restriction rise.

11 Mar 2021

Louisville District announces new long-term camping policy at select sites

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District announced a new long-term camping policy for select USACE managed campground sites in the Green River Area, where customers will be able to reserve a campsite for a maximum 90-day period. This policy will be implemented in a two-year trial period, beginning Mar 11, 2021.

3 Mar 2021

Brookville Dam temporarily closed to public access due to construction activities

Portions of the dam recreational area at Brookville Lake, Brookville, Indiana, are temporarily closed to public access while contractors are performing some improvements. To ensure public safety during upcoming construction activities, some public access points will be temporarily closed effective today, March 3, 2021. These intermittent closures will affect vehicular and pedestrian traffic on top of the dam as well as entry points to the Adena Trace hiking trail.