The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks will close to all marine traffic 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., September 18 and 19, 2018 for dive operations. These require the Locks be closed to all but emergency vessels on emergency calls.

Divers will inspect a saltwater drain screen structure immediately upstream of the locks and inspect the large lock chamber work gates.

The drain screen prevents salmon from entering the locks’ saltwater return intake. Divers will open 10, 10-foot-by-6-foot doors and inspect the 30-by-60 foot curved-front, mesh screen structure. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers closes the doors and inspects the structure annually before salmon migration season begins mid-June and reopens the doors mid-September.

The work gate inspection is in preparation for the upcoming large lock annual maintenance closure. The large locks typically closes for two to three weeks in November. This year the large chamber will close October 29 and reopen November 21. In 2019, the large chamber is projected to begin the first of four extended 45-day closures to replace the valve gates, which are original to the 101-year-old locks.

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