Posted on February 28, 2024
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, awarded two, $2 million contracts to Togiak Management Services LLC of Anchorage, Alaska, to construct bulkhead slots on the intermediate wall and river wall upstream of the miter gates in the auxiliary lock chamber at Lock and Dam 3 located in Welch, Minnesota, and Lock and Dam 9 located in Eastman, Wisconsin.
The project work consists of the demolition of a section of the existing concrete, wall armor, ladders, handrails and electrical tubes within the footprint of the new bulkhead slots. The wall armor, ladders, and handrails are replaced upon installation of the bulkhead slot assembly, a one-piece steel fabrication to support the installation of temporary bulkheads as a damming surface during future replacement or maintenance of the auxiliary miter gates.
Visitor and observation decks at both locks will remain open during the construction.
A localized cofferdam and dewatering system is necessary for the construction in the auxiliary lock and will not impact navigation. Construction completion is expected by Aug. 15, 2025.
The project is funded under the authority of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1930. Design funding was provided through the Corps’ Operations and Maintenance Appropriation. Funding for award was received through the fiscal year 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act.
The St. Paul District navigation program provides a safe, reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable waterborne transportation system on the Upper Mississippi River for the movement of commercial goods and for national security needs. To do this, the district maintains a 9-foot navigation channel and 13 locks and dams from Minneapolis to Guttenberg, Iowa. Keeping this system open is vital to the nation’s economy. Nearly 14 million tons of commodities passed through Lock and Dam 10 in 2023. This included nearly 4 million tons of farm products such as corn and soybeans. The industries making these shipments saved approximately $430 million by using the inland waterways instead of overland shipping methods.
