Last of flood-closed Mississippi locks reopen
As river rushes into Mo. town, residents file out
Associated Press
Published: July 5, 2008
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The last of the Mississippi River navigational locks that were closed to barges because of flooding are back in business.
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Jennifer Godfrey of the Army Corps of Engineers says locks in Clarksville and Winfield have reopened.
Godfrey says commercial traffic at the St. Louis port is limited to the daytime.
Flooding on the Mississippi forced the corps to close the locks last month.
The locks use huge electric motors to open and close gates and valves. They raise and lower barges as they make their way up and down the river.
The corps removes the motors during floods to protect them.
(This version DELETES a reference to the Kaskaskia lock because it was incorrectly described as being on the Mississippi; it is on a tributary.)
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