Tennessee Valley Authority
Ft. Loudoun Navigation Lock to Close for Repairs and Maintenance
April 15, 2010
LENOIR CITY, Tenn. – The navigation lock at Ft. Loudoun Dam near Lenoir City will close for repairs and routine maintenance beginning April 20.
The lock, which raises and lowers boats and barges so they can move from one reservoir to another, will be closed to all boats and watercraft for approximately 30 days.
The parking lot on the south side, or lock side, of the dam also will close to provide storage for construction equipment and access to the lock. Visitors should use the parking areas on the Lenoir City side of the dam.
Repair crews with TVA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will “dewater,” or remove the water from inside the lock, to clean and paint the large lock gates, work on the lock valves and perform general maintenance.
This project is part of TVA’s asset preservation program, a maintenance program to protect the integrity of the dams and ensure the safe operation of the lock system. The same work is scheduled for the Watts Bar navigation lock this fall.
For more information about TVA navigation locks and how they work, go to http://www.tva.com/river/navigation.
The Tennessee Valley Authority, a corporation owned by the U.S. government, provides electricity for 9 million people in parts of seven southeastern states at prices below the national average. TVA, which receives no taxpayer money and makes no profits, also provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists utilities and state and local governments with economic development.
Media Contact
Travis Brickey, Knoxville, (865) 632-6263
TVA News Bureau, Knoxville (865) 632-6000