FLORENCE, Ala. (Sept. 26, 2024) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District and the Tennessee Valley Authority have closed the main lock chamber at Wilson Lock on the Tennessee River near Florence, Alabama to conduct additional inspections and possible repairs on the lock chamber. The lock chamber will be closed until further notice.

Yesterday, the USACE Nashville District conducted a dive inspection of the main lock chamber that revealed cracks in the lock gates on both land and river sides.

“Closing the lock is a precaution to prevent further damage to the gates and any possible loss of the lock’s functionality,” said Lt. Col. Robert Green, USACE Nashville District commander. “We value our partnership with the navigation industry and recognize the economic importance the inland waterway lockage system serves for delivering goods to the public. We are assessing the situation and formulating a plan of action to repair and reopen the lock chamber.”

Green stressed the importance of safety as continued operation of the lock without repairs could result in the gates becoming jammed, trapping any vessels inside the lock.

As of September 27, at 6 a.m., the auxiliary lock, comprised of two 60’ x 300’ chambers in a stair stepped configuration, will be opened and available for navigational use. USACE is committed to maintaining at least one open lock whenever possible and minimizing impacts on the navigation industry. Passing navigation traffic through the auxiliary lock will increase locking time by up to 16-24 hours for a typical 15 barge tow.

The Tennessee Valley Authority owns the locks and dams along the Tennessee River and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates and maintains the locks for navigation, in partnership with TVA.

Extreme weather can affect safe operations during lockage’s. The US Army Corps of Engineers is tracking Hurricane Helene and will continue to monitor the weather and adjust operational procedures to ensure safety as necessary.

More updates will be available when the Nashville District has an estimated time for the lock reopening.

The Nashville District has a longstanding partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority to operate and maintain navigation facilities on the Tennessee River. More than 11.4M tons of goods make their way to and from the Ohio River every year through USACE managed locks on the Tennessee River.

The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s website at https://www.lrd.usace.army.mil/About/Districts/Nashville-District/, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps and on X at www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps.