Operators of the Soo Locks are preparing for their annual list of winter projects for the structures.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced in a news release the locks will be officially closed for the season from Jan. 15 to March 25, and the Corps “will use this time to perform critical maintenance on the lock structures.”

That will include valve work and the replacement of a cylinder seal and anchorage on the Poe Lock. Meanwhile the MacArthur Lock, which has already been closed since mid-December, will also receive seal and anchorage replacements and a new lock bevel gear.

“It is vitally important that we keep the infrastructure at the Soo Locks in good working order,” Corps District Engineer Dennis Sugrue said in the release. “The district puts a high priority on keeping the locks functioning safely and reliably for the benefit of our nation.”

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