LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Beginning today all locks on the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System will again be closed to recreational boaters from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday, excluding federal holidays.
The recreational lockage policy was suspended during the government shutdown while maintenance works were furloughed.
“We chose the closure windows because we normally have more staff onsite during those times to perform maintenance,” said Little Rock’s Chief of Operations John Balgavy. “We decided to suspend the closures while our maintenance staff was furloughed. But since the shutdown is over, we need to return to our preventive maintenance to maximize the availability of our locks to waterway users.”
The recreational lockage policy designates four hours a day for Corps maintenance workers to perform routine and preventative maintenance without interruption. Commercial and government vessels are allowed lockage at any time, as long as the locks are operational.
For information about recreation on Little Rock District waters, find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/littlerockusace, and on twitter at twitter.com/usacelittlerock.
Release no. 13-082