ITCS Memo# 1817 - McApline Lock, helper boat. Submitted by Mark Dougherty

To:       Ohio River Ice Committee
From:     Dave Reed
Date: 9/27/01
Subject: McApline Lock, helper boat. Submitted by Mark Dougherty
ITCS Memo # 1817

Last Friday afternoon, Sept 21, at 1500, the helper boat provided by the cofferdam contractor at McAlpine lock was terminated. The contract called for it to be maintained until the lower cells 9.5 to 12 were completed, including protective armor strips. This work has been completed. Please be advised that the helper boat will no longer be available. Also note that towboat operators should stay off of the cells, and tight against the long wall when entering or exiting the chamber. The cells at the lower end are not designed to be worked against, and they need to hold up for several more years. Something that should help everyone at the lower end, especially at low river stages, is the repairs that are being made to the sheet pile cutoff wall below the lower long wall. This job is underway right now, and the worst sections have already been replaced. A total of 1150 feet was to be replaced. The contractor has already replaced 800 ft starting just below the lower miter gates and working downriver.   This means that the worst areas that are across from the cells have already been replaced, and you should be seeing greatly reduced currents coming under that wall against your tows.