South Florida - Tuesday July 7, 2024: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has issued a Notice to Navigation announcing they will start closing all 5 of its South Florida locks for one-hour on the last Thursday of every month.
The purpose of the closures is to ensure increased safety for the public by conducting safety training for lock operators, maintenance crews and administrators.
The closures will occur between 9 AM and 10 AM, which will allow the morning lock traffic to clear beforehand and prevent delays for the afternoon boating traffic.
The monthly one-hour lock closures start on July 25, which is the last Thursday of this month.
The five navigation locks and dams that the Army Corps manages along the Okeechobee Waterway are:
- St Lucie Lock & Dam 772-287-2665 or 863-662-9148
- Port Mayaca Lock & Dam 561-924-2858 or 863-662-9424
- Julian Keen, Jr. Lock & Dam 863-946-0414 or 863-662-9533
- Ortona Lock & Dam 863-675-0616 or 863- 662-9846