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5 Mar 2021
Corps lowers impact to fish spawning near Soo Locks
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. (March 5, 2021) - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) officials will use dry blasting during New Lock at the Soo construction to avoid or drastically minimize impacts to fish larvae and adult fish spawning near the Soo Locks. The Soo Locks on the St. Marys River allow vessels to navigate the 21 ft elevation change between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes. A new Poe-sized lock being built will provide necessary redundancy in the Great Lakes Navigation System’s critical infrastructure. To build the New Lock, deepening the channel on the upstream side (west) of the Poe lock is necessary. Dredging is scheduled to occur in 2021-2022. Drilling and blasting are required to fragment the bedrock and concrete for dredging.

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RT @USArmy: 2026 Big Army updates are coming. Tune in to our YouTube channel tomorrow at noon EST to watch our special Army event. https:…

RT @ArmyERDC: ERDC is supporting the innovative use of Pacific Northwest timber in the construction of barracks at @JBLM_PAO. By leveraging…

The Jan. 7 Los Angeles County wildfires debris removal operation was one of our largest, most challenging missions. More than 1,400 USACE personnel deployed from across the nation and from our district to support debris removal operations. /6

But we did not do this alone. The success of this important mission was the result of strong partnerships with FEMA, Cal OES, LA County, local governments and impacted communities. /5

To date, USACE has removed more than 2.6 million tons of debris — the equivalent of more than 218,000 truckloads. /4

We are proud of our efforts, alongside our partners, to rapidly come to the aid of our fellow citizens in their time of need. In just six months, more than 9,500 properties were cleared — making this the fastest, large-scale wildfire debris removal in USACE history. /3

After the devastating Los Angeles wildfires in January 2025, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was laser-focused on removing immediate hazards to public health and safety, and supporting economic recovery by removing structural ash, debris and foundations. /2

This week marks one year since the January 2025 Southern California wildfires began. On Jan. 17, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began its debris removal mission, which was a critical step in the road to recovery. https://t.co/iF1yZ5D6CP

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced today the publication of the 2026 nationwide permits in the Federal Register. Learn more: https://t.co/3IzyxdqV3P

USACE will reissue 56 existing nationwide permits & issue one new permit for work in wetlands & other waters that are regulated by Section 404 of Clean Water Act and/or Section 10 of Rivers & Harbors Act of 1899. One existing permit will not be reissued: https://t.co/NhihR0uoAM

RT @USACE_Buffalo: 🛥️ Dredging keeps our waterways safe & sustainable! 🌱 Learn how the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers repurposes clean sedim…

RT @ArmyERDC: ERDC is providing innovative support to @USACENOLA civil works mission by inspecting the dewatered bays for voids in the Old…

RT @USArmy: 📆 Soldiers, mark your calendars for the Senior Leader SITREP, premiering on our YouTube channel, Jan. 13 at 12:00 p.m. https://…

RT @StPaulUSACE: Happy New Year! As we welcome 2026, let’s make water safety a top priority. Let’s make 2026 the safest year yet by practic…

Happy New Year! As we welcome 2026, let’s make water safety a top priority. 🛟Always wear your life jacket and make sure its fits 🛟Learn how to swim 🛟Never drink and boat Practice water safety every time you are in, on, or near the water! #LifeJacketsWornNobodyMourns

Low-head dams are found on waterways throughout the U.S. Before you the hit watery trails, review the Low-Head Dam Inventory to see if there’s a dam on your route. Learn more: https://t.co/dbzMfptnor #damsafety https://t.co/ZjrOVldPiM

RT @StPaulUSACE: Skid-steers hard at work preparing the chamber for critical maintenance and inspections during a dewatering at Lock and Da…

RT @USArmy: 📰 Year in Review: Warfighting is the Army’s top priority Our Soldiers prove they are ready to fight and win, at home and abroa…

RT @ArmyCorpsNAD: Our @europedistrict is constructing a new Operational Readiness Training Complex in Grafenwoehr, #Germany. On Friday, we…

RT @ArmyERDC: The @StPaulUSACE and ERDC are collaborating in a groundbreaking study to make informed, data-driven decisions about using riv…

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Tag: Soo Locks

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19 Jan 2021
Soo Locks upgrading park’s lock model displays
DETROIT- Soo Locks visitors will see more than $100,000 in improved lock model displays in the coming years thanks to local partner support and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Handshake Partnership Program. Currently, the park features two original 3-D models dating back to 1893 and 1912, showing locks built on the facility over 100 years ago. The models sit in concrete and glass cases with cracked panes and openings in the bases allowing air, moisture and insects to get inside. The oldest model was built to test the original Poe Lock plans in 1893 as evidenced by a photo discovered by Chief Park Ranger Michelle Briggs while working with historic photos. “I was doing some research when I found a photo dated March 1893 of the workmen posed with the model of the original Poe Lock, which I recognized from the park,” Briggs said. “I am sure this model was finished shortly after the picture was taken since one of the workmen is still holding a paint brush.”
23 Dec 2020
Army Corps proposing temporary project office space in Canal Park
DETROIT – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking public comments through January 13, 2021 on its proposal to place temporary office space in Canal Park on the Soo Locks property in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The proposed one-story, single modular structure, consisting of multiple pre-engineered structures linked together, will house Corps Integrated Project Office (IPO) employees overseeing the New Lock at the Soo project construction. The $1 billion lock construction project could take up to 10 years to complete, according to IPO Resident Office Project Manager Isaac Freel. “We’re proposing to place the offices near the park entrance,” Freel said. “This location provides readily available access to sewer, water and electric. It also provides proximity to the Soo Area Office and the project site, which will greatly facilitate communication and project oversight.”
24 Sep 2020
New Lock moves forward with Phase 2 contract award
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials announce the New Lock at the Soo second phase construction contract is awarded to Kokosing Alberici LLC of Westerville, Ohio. The much-anticipated mega-project will take three phases to construct. Kokosing Alberici will receive more than $111 million to complete phase two. This contract will stabilize the existing approach walls, allowing modern vessels to tie up and wait their turn to pass through the new lock. Construction will begin in spring 2021 and take about two years to complete. "The Corps looks forward to beginning construction on the upstream approach walls next spring, and we continue to work hard to maintain the pace and meet all milestones in bringing our nation's New Lock at the Soo to fruition,” said Detroit District Commander Lt. Col. Scott Katalenich.
25 Mar 2020
The Soo Locks open as 2020 shipping season begins
DETROIT – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, announces the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., opened today Monday, March 25, marking the beginning of the 2020 Great Lakes shipping season. The up-bound Motor Vessel H. Lee White, 704-foot long freighter, is the first ship to enter the Poe Lock. It is coming from Sturgeon Bay, Michigan and headed to Superior, Wisconsin to load cargo.