Corps preps for construction of new lock chamber at L&D 25

Construction at Lock and Dam 25 will result in a new 1,200- foot by 110-foot lock chamber being built adjacent to the existing 600-foot chamber. [USACE photograph]

The St. Louis Engineer District’s Rivers Project Office will close the Winfield (Mo.) Recreation Area to allow for contractor equipment and material staging associated with two active construction projects at Lock and Dam 25, including construction of a new 1,200-foot lock chamber.

The two projects, which are part of the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (or NESP), will collectively increase the efficiency of Lock and Dam 25. Located in Winfield, Mo., (45 miles north of St. Louis), Lock and Dam 25 was selected for upgrades due to its location through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed into law in November 2022.

The new lock chamber will make locking time over four times faster by eliminating the need to perform a “double-lockage” which is needed for a 15-barge commercial tow to get through a 600-foot lock chamber, currently standard on the Upper Mississippi River, above St. Louis. This process requires deck hands to disconnect barges from the tow, as the entire shipment will not fit in the chamber at once, conduct two back-to-back lockages, and reconnect the barges before continuing up or down stream. Locking through a 1,200-foot chamber without the need to disassemble mooring cables and separate barges also increases the overall safety of the process in addition to drastically reducing transit times.

The Winfield Recreational Area, including the comfort station, public parking lot, and area below and west of the lock, will be closed for the duration of construction to ensure public safety and uninterrupted contractor work. During this time, contractors will be installing a new downstream navigation guide cell, and will also be constructing a new maintenance and storage facility, along with a temporary resident engineer facility for construction management staff overseeing the two projects. The work associated with this closure is scheduled to begin on June 15, 2025, and last until October 31, 2026.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it remains committed to ensuring efficient and safe navigation is available on the Mississippi River and will continue to communicate with the public regarding access to public lands. Additional information on the project can be found on the website.

For questions regarding the closure, please contact the Rivers Project Office at 636-899-2600.