Explosives to Be Used in New Superlock Construction at Soo Locks, Army Corps Says
Published: Thursday, July 13, 2023 12:00 pm
By: Justine Lofton
Water flowing into the Poe Lock, the largest chamber of the Soo Locks. Photo provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – Explosives will be used as work progresses toward the construction of a new superlock at the Soo Locks in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, officials said.
During a meeting Monday, officials with the Army Corps of Engineers announced that explosives will be used in the deconstruction of the Sabin and Davis locks, which will be replaced by the new superlock, 9&10 News reports.
The detonations are expected to begin at the end of July, the report said. The Soo Locks will be intermittently closed to marine traffic due to the explosions.
Boaters are asked to follow the instructions given by security personnel on the water, as they are tasked with keeping mariners safe during detonations, said Rachel Miller from the Army Corps of Engineers.
The Soo’s big Poe Lock is one of two functional locks in what originally was a four-lock system. In addition to the Poe lock, the smaller MacArthur Lock remains; it’s south of the Poe. The 800-foot-long MacArthur Lock generally handles smaller watercraft while the 1,200-foot-long Poe Lock is used by larger vessels, such as freighters, traversing between the upper and lower Great Lakes.
The work being done now will eventually result in a new Poe-sized lock in place of the inactive Davis and Sabin locks. It won’t be complete for several years.
The Poe is currently the sole lock large enough to move increasingly longer and wider Great Lakes ships. A second lock its size will ensure cargo can still move between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes should one lock unexpectedly close.
The Soo Locks is a crucial piece of engineering for Great Lakes shipping. The system raises and lowers vessels to accommodate the 23-foot elevation difference between Lake Huron and Lake Superior. This allows freighters, tugboats, Coast Guard boats and other vessels to move in and out of Lake Superior.
Each year, more than 4,500 ships and other vessels pass through the Soo Locks. These are carrying 80 million tons of cargo - mostly coal, limestone, iron ore and wheat.
tags: Great Lakes, Lake Huron, Lake Superior, Michigan
