Keokuk, IA – Lock 19 on the Mississippi River at Keokuk is a busy place - and it's expected to get busier. The US Army Corps of Engineers says more than 24 million tons of commodities flowed through the lock in 2004. The Corps estimates that will increase to more than 31.5 million tons by the end of the decade. As a result, improvements are being made to the lock, which is nearly 50 years old. One of the biggest changes is the installation of two new miter gates. The gates are more than 55 feet high and each weighs around 220 tons. The gates are being operated by a new hydraulic system, which replaces an old gear system. All of the new equipment replaces items that were installed when the lock was built in 1957. The Corps says this is not a lock expansion - Lock 19 is already 1,200 feet, which is what the Corps would like for all of the river's locks. You can listen to News Director Rich Egger's feature on the upgrades to the lock by clicking on the audio button above.
Improvements Made to Lock at Keokuk
