Soo locks commence operations today

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officially opened the Soo Locks, in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. today at 12:01 a.m., the Great Lakes Seaway Partnership said.    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officially opened the Soo Locks, in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. today at 12:01 a.m., the Great Lakes Seaway Partnership said.
   Various projects have been carried out on the locks since they closed in January.
   “Projects included the installation of a hydraulic system for the Poe Lock; anchorage repairs and dewatering bulkhead coating replacement on the Poe Lock; and work on the MacArthur Lock’s electrical modernization,” the Great Lakes Seaway Partnership said.
   The Soo Locks Complex was originally constructed to handle the approximate 21-foot water level drop in an area known as the St. Marys Rapids, enabling ships to travel between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes. A total of four locks make up the Soo Locks, which include the Poe Lock; the MacArthur Lock; the inactive Sabin Lock; and the Davis Lock, which is only used by Soo Area Office vessels when necessary, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.