A huge
aspect of making the rivers navigable is the lock and dams. The dams pool the
water so it is possible to have it be 9 feet deep all the time. The locks allow
safe travel up and down elevation changes. It works just like an elevator. The
lock and dams on the Illinois River were all constructed 75 years ago. Each is
unique to meet the needs of that area. The last two dams on the Illinois River
are wicket dams, two out of the three in existence in the country. Wicket dams
are special because when the water is high they lay the walls down. The water
levels out and no elevation change exists. The dam can simply be passed over in
barges, canoes, kayaks, or any watercraft. The construction of the lock and
dams greatly changed the Illinois River’s transportation efficiency.
Just as
roads need maintenance, so do the locks and dams. Every repair is one of a kind
and they do it themselves, including building the new parts. The locks and dams
were only designed to last for 50 years, so lots of repairs have been popping
up. This has increased budget needs as they work to update all of the old
systems. A lot of the repairs require a dive team to operate underwater. The
water is often murky so they work without seeing what they are doing! A cool
fact about the Illinois River is that it is the only one that is open 24/7
every day of the year. This means in the winter they break up the ice so that
traffic is possible. I never realized how much it took to make the rivers functional
for transportation.
The
visit to the Army Corps of Engineers in Peoria opened my eyes to see the river
in a new way. Rivers are important not only for wildlife and as a water source,
but also for transportation and commerce.
No comments:
Post a Comment