Author(s): Raymond T. Beurket; Carl Argiroff
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Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: The 2,000 km Great Lakes and 1,700 km St. Lawrence River navigation corridor is the world’s largest freshwater system. The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers has implemented a winter season extension operation program for vessels passing through its upper Great Lakes locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, to meet the needs of commerce. A 1979 environmental decision document supports the current operation of the locks to 8 January + 1 week, an extension of the historic closing on 15 December. Studies are now underway to determine the environmental impact of further extension of lock operations to 31 January + 2 weeks. This paper details the criteria used in establishing operations to 8 January + 1 week, and the criteria for closing of the locks are dependent upon ice and weather conditions. The closing criteria were used in 1984 for early closing of the locks.
Year: 1984