Photo By George Stringham | Panoramic view of the worksite at Lock and Dam 2 in Hastings, Minnesota.... read more read more
When the Rock Island District acquired its newest heavy-lift crane, the Quad Cities, a little more than two years ago, the Mississippi River Project Structures Maintenance crew knew it would be lifting a large workload in the District and beyond. Since its arrival, the crane and its crew have performed at least 25 lifts including several this past July in the St. Paul District at Lock and Dam 2 in Hastings, Minnesota, where the original miter gates from the 1940s needed to be replaced.
Over the past 80 years, miter gates like the ones at Lock and Dam 2 have endured an extensive amount of wear and tear, leading to serviceability and safety issues. Installation of new gates will increase navigational longevity and operational readiness in support of the economically significant navigation infrastructure.
From the surface, miter gates might not appear to be a “heavy-lift” but below the water line lies a massive metal structure which can only be removed by a large-scale crane like the Quad Cities. Installation of the new gates which stand 27 feet tall on the upstream side and 30 feet tall on the downstream side also requires strength and precision, especially since each gate weighs 256,000 and 266,000 pounds respectively.
“During the five weeks the Quad Cities was in Hastings, the job went great,” said Matt Thurman, Chief, Maintenance Section at Mississippi River Project Office. “I wish they all went that well.”
The Rock Island District’s Mississippi River Project Structures Maintenance crew, consisting of 15-20 employees, provided support to the St. Paul District by operating the Quad Cities heavy-lift crane throughout the replacement project. The lock was closed in 12-hour shifts to accommodate for commercial navigation needs during the process.
“The Quad Cities is a regional asset for the Mississippi Valley Division,” said Thurman. “Rock Island District has a reputation for having expertise with heavy-lift cranes and lock and dam repair.”
When asked about how often the Quad Cities will be needed in other districts, Thurman says that’s the ‘million-dollar question.’
“Usage is dependent on the needs in the District, and it will be ready to assist where there is the highest need,” said Thurman.
All Mississippi River locks in the Rock Island District have already received their replacement gates and are now operating with gates that are less than 10 years old. St. Paul District just recently began this process, with Lock and Dam 2 being the first to receive new gates. Over the next 10 years it is anticipated that many more miter gates will need replacing throughout the region and the Quad Cities heavy-lift crane will be ready to assist.
| Date Taken: | 10.04.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 10.05.2021 08:20 |
| Story ID: | 406664 |
| Location: | ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, IL, US |
| Web Views: | 172 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Building a Positive Lock and Dam Repair Reputation, by Kelcy Hanson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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