View from a Corps of Engineers camera at Lock and Dam 15.
The Corps of Engineers is repairing some very old Mississippi River locks and dams. The locks and dams on the Mississippi were designed to have a 50-year lifespan. But many of them are now 80 years old.
That’s according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A project now underway to repair the deteriorating steel and concrete gates at Lock and Dam 15 between Davenport and Rock Island is expected to cost about $15 million.
The Corps says it is focusing on critical maintenance needs right now. Traffic on the river is still moving because one of the locks remains open while the other is being repaired. Making sure locks and dams on the Mississippi alone are working well could represent a transportation savings of $1 billion.
(By Phil Roberts, Davenport)