The Tulsa District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is implementing a new program of daily preventive maintenance on the McClellan Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System to increase long-term availability and reduce unscheduled outages.
Webbers Falls, Chouteau and Newt Graham locks will close for four hours daily beginning October 1st sometime within an 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. window. The 4-hour window period with no lockages for commercial or recreational boats will allow maximum effort for lock and maintenance crews to perform routine preventive and scheduled maintenance.
The Corps is developing a recreation vessel lockage policy this fall and winter for the 2013 season. The policy will take into account special scheduled events, recreation boater needs and other recreation requirements as well.
The program is part of the Corps of Engineers efforts to provide the highest standard of service on its entire national waterways navigation system.
The McClellan Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System locks are fully functional, and historical data indicates the locks can accommodate current commercial and recreational traffic without impact with the maintenance period in effect. The need for and ability to continue these scheduled maintenance periods will be evaluated by the Corps annually.