Etappe Chicago bis Grafton: Illinois Waterway

Illinois Waterway Brandon Road Interbasin Project Navigation Advisory RM 285.5 Contractor construction operations on the left descending side of the navigation channel downstream of Brandon Road Lock and Dam at RM 285.5 will be conducted during weekday (M-F) hours of 0600 - 1800 commencing on Monday 09 November and continuing through Thursday 31 December. Mariners are requested to contact the M/V Barbara B on channels 13 or 16 SIXTY minutes prior to transit to move out of the channel, as needed.  Mariners are urged to transit at their slowest safe speed to minimize wake and proceed with caution after passing arrangements have been made. Please call Brandon Road Lock and Dam at (815)744-1714 or channel 14 for futher assistance. //signed// Doug Morgan, Chief of Locks and Dams, Illinois Waterway Project

Illinois Waterway Mechanical Dredging (Strike Removal) Peoria Pool, Spring Valley, RM 218.7-219.1 Mechanical dredging (Strike Removal) operations will commence on the Illinois Waterway, Peoria Pool, Spring Valley RM 218.7-219.1 on Wednesday November 4th, 2026, at 0600 hrs. Dredging will occur Monday through Friday 0600-1800hrs until further notice. Dredging will take place on the Left Descending Bank.    Mariners are requested to contact the MV LaSalle on channel 14 or 82, THIRTY minutes prior to transiting the area for passing instructions.   Mariners are urged to transit at their slowest safe speed to minimize wake and proceed with caution after passing arrangements have been made. //signed// Chris Reger, Channel Maintenance Manager

ILLINOIS WATERWAY HYDRAULIC DREDGING Mackinaw River, LaGrange Pool IWW Mile 146.3-148.0   Hydraulic dredging operations will commence on Monday, 19-OCT-2026 @ 0700 and continue Until Further Notice at Mackinaw River, LaGrange Pool IWW Mile 146.3-148.0 on the LDB. Dredging will be performed 7 days a week, 24 hours per day. Placement will be Upland LDB.   Mariners are requested to contact the Dredge Houston T on channel 13, FORTY-FIVE minutes prior to transiting the area.   Mariners are urged to transit at their slowest safe speed to minimize wake and proceed with caution after passing arrangements have been made.   //signed// Anthony Tipsword, Dredge Coordinator //signed// Tipsword, Anthony D

NEW GUIDE CELL CONSTRUCTION AND SCHEDULED LOCK CLOSURES UPDATE - 14 October 2026 Lock and Dam 25 Upper Mississippi River mile 241.4 Starting on or about 18 November 2025, USACE contractor Massman Construction will commence on a new 50-foot diameter guide cell downstream of Lock and Dam 25.  The new guide cell will be constructed approximately 340 feet downstream of the existing guide cell as referenced in the attached drawing.  There will be intermittent periods of active construction adjacent to the navigation channel throughout the duration of construction, which will continue to October 2026.  Mariners should be on the lookout for construction activities and related equipment to include barges, cranes, and work boats that will be working in the area.As part of this work, Lock 25 will be closed on the below days and times to allow for construction activities within the area of the new guide cell and to allow the contractor to work safely adjacent to the navigation channel. Closure for 13 October removed, closure for 14 October added.4 August: 0700-1900 (12 hours)6 August: 0700-1900 (12 hours)22 September 0700-1900 (12 hrs)24 September  0700-1900 (12 hours)29 September  0700-1900 (12 hours)1 October 0700-1900 (12 hours)6 October 0700-1900 (12 hours) (cancelled due to high river levels)13 October 0700-1900(cancelled)14 October 0700-1900        3. Additional Lock closures will be required as the construction of the guide cell continues and this NTNI will be updated as the closure dates are identified. 4. All navigation interest should be alert for, and abide by, any special instructions that may be issued by the Lockmaster.   FOR THE DISTRICT ENGINEER:   //signed// Cox, Ashley N, Deputy Chief, Operations and Readiness Division

LOCK AND DAM 25 DAMAGED PROTECTION CELL SCHEDULED CLOSURES & CONSTRUCTION UPDATE 31 JULY 2026 Lock and Dam 25 Upper Mississippi River mile 241.4   USACE Contractor, Massman Construction Co. will perform work to rebuild the damaged protection cell at Lock and Dam 25.  Lock 25 will be closed on the below days and times to allow for construction activities within the area of the damaged protection cell and to allow the contractor to work safely adjacent to the navigation channel.  Daily 12 hour closures, Monday to Saturday starting on 10 August through 19 September is added to the schedule.   Tuesday, 5 May: 0700 to 1900 hours.Thursday, 7 May: 0700 to 1900 hours.Thursday, 2 July: 0700 to 1900 hours.Monday, 6 July: 0700 to 1900 hours.Monday - Saturday, 10 August thorough 19 September: 0700 to 1900 Hours.  The requirement for an assist vessel remains in place until further notice.All navigation interests should be alert for, and abide by, any special instructions that may be issued by the Lockmaster.FOR THE DISTRICT ENGINEER:   //signed// Andrew C. Schimpf, P.E., Rivers Project Manager

LOWER GUIDEWALL ADVISORY Marseilles Lock and Dam RM 244.6 Marseilles Lock and Dam RM 244.6 requires all north bound tows to be flat on the guide wall before entering the lock chamber. Existing deterioration of concrete and wall armor necessitates exercising caution when utilizing the lower guide wall for entry into the lock chamber.  //signed// Doug Morgan, Chief of Locks and Dams, Illinois Waterway Project

UPPER GUIDEWALL ADVISORY Marseilles Lock and Dam RM 244.6 Marseilles Lock and Dam RM 244.6 no longer has use of the 1000' mooring pin on the upper guide wall. Lock operators will not be meeting tows upstream of that location on the wall until further notice.  Mariners are to use caution and reduce speed when approaching the upper guide wall. All other use of the guide wall will remain unrestricted. //signed// Doug Morgan, Chief of Locks and Dams, Illinois Waterway Project

***CANCELLED*** LOCK CLOSURE Brandon Road Lock and Dam, RM 286.0 CANCELLED Brandon Road Lock and Dam, River Mile 286.0 will have weekday (M-F) closures September 21st 2026 through April 28th 2028 from 0600 to 1800 hours. The purpose of this closure is to facilitate contract work for rock excavation in channel and wall construction of the BRIP leading edge located in the entrance to the lock approach area.  Mariners are requested not to tie up to the upper guidewall during this time unless directed by Lock staff.  There may be times when work is not being conducted during certain periods indicated above and the lock may become available for operations. Mariners should contact lock for any up-to-date information regarding potential lock availability.   Please contact the lock at 815-744-1714 or on channel 14 for assistance. //signed// Doug Morgan, Chief of Locks and Dams, Illinois Waterway Project

LOCK WALL RESTRICTION T.J. O’Brien Lock River Mile 326.5 Illinois Waterway 1.      T.J. O’Brien Lock, River Mile 326.5, will have restrictions on use of the upper guide wall until further notice.   2.      The upstream 200’ of the wall is unavailable for all use including mooring, landing, heeling, or any other contact. The wall suffered significant structural damage to the upstream end and contact should be avoided.   3.      The following link provides access to all USACE Notices to Navigation Interests: https://ndc.ops.usace.army.mil/ords/f?p=107:1::::::   4.      If you have any questions/comments/concerns regarding this Notice to Navigation Interests, please contact Michael Walsh, USACE Chicago District Waterways Project Office Operations Manager at 815-510-0361 or by email at Michael.J.Walsh@usace.army.mil //signed// Walsh, Michael J, Chief, Waterways Project Office

Lock Operations Advisory Marseilles Lock, River Mile 244.6 Marseilles Lock, River Mile 244.6 advises of a change in locking conditions. Tows are advised not to catch lines or stop cuts on the red top pin at the 100' mark of the lower guide wall. Tows will now utilize the pin at the 75' mark of the lower guide wall until further notice.  //signed// Doug Morgan, Chief of Locks and Dams, Illinois Waterway Project

SAILING LINE UPDATE Pilot Peak Bend Illinois Waterway River Mile 48 - 47 On the Illinois Waterway, River Mile 48 to 47, the sailing will be updated to follow the thalweg of the river.  As shown in the attached drawing from River Mile 47.7 to 47.4, the updated sailing line is moved 65 feet left of the existing sailing line.The updated sailing line is expected to be available on IENC, U37IL005 by Saturday 22 November 2025.  IENC downloads are available at https://ienccloud.us/ .Starting today, three green AIS-ATONS at River Mile 47.7, 47.4, and 47.2  marking 9 foot depth at minimum pool are now broadcasting until the green buoys can be reset.The available channel width from the left bank to the AIS-ATONS is 300 feet wide.  FOR THE DISTRICT ENGINEER:       //signed// Andrew C. Schimpf, P.E., Rivers Project Manager

COMPLETED ILLINOIS WATERWAY MECHANICAL DREDGING (STRIKE REMOVAL) Peoria Pool, Starved Rock Lower RM 230.5-230.8 COMPLETED   Mechanical dredging (Strike Removal) operations will commence on the Illinois Waterway, Peoria Pool, Starved Rock Lower RM 230.5-230.8 on Tuesday, 28-October-2025 at 0600 hr. Dredging will occur Monday through Friday 0600-1800hrs Until Further Notice.   Mariners are requested to contact the MV LaSalle on channel 14 or 82, THIRTY minutes prior to transiting the area for passing instructions.   Mariners are urged to transit at their slowest safe speed to minimize wake and proceed with caution after passing arrangements have been made. //signed// Matthew O. Martin, Dredge Coordinator

ANTICIPATED CLOSURES Chicago Harbor Lock Chicago River Mile 327   1. The intent of this notice is to notify navigational interests of anticpated upcoming closures at the Chicago Harbor Lock. The purpose of these closures is to faciliate repairs to the chamber walls and floor. It is anticipated that Chicago Harbor Lock will be closed to all navigation during the following time periods:   November 16th, 2021 through April 14th, 2022   November 16th, 2022 through April 14th 2023   November 16th, 2023 through April 14th, 2024   November 16th, 2024 through April 14th, 2025   November 15th, 2025 through April 15th, 2026   November 15th, 2026 through April 15th, 2027   2. The following link provides access to all USACE Notice to Navigation Interests:     https///ntnotices.usace.army.mil/lpwb/f?p=150:1   3. If you have any questions/comments/concerns concerning this notice, please contact Mr. Michael Walsh, USACE Chicago - Chicago Waterways Project Office Chief, (815) 510-0361 or Michael.J.Walsh@usace.army.mil. //signed// MacDonald, Jeffrey A, Chief, Technical Support Branch