SOO LOCKS

THE SOO LOCKS

The SOO LOCKS is located in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Canada. It was built so the freighters could bypass the St. Marys River as the waters were too rough.

They also helped the ships change water levels from high to low, from low to high.

Lake Superior is higher than the rest of the Great Lakes.

It takes about 22 gallons of water for the ships to go throiugh the locks.

The locks are owned by the United States Army of Engineers. And repaired and maintained by the same people.

There are four SOO LOCKS:

A. The MCARTHUR LOCK, which is 800 feet long and was built in 1943. This lock can handle ocean going vessels.

B. The POE LOCK was rebuilt in 1968 after the St. Lawrence Seaway opened up. This lock can handle ships on the Great Lakes.

C. The DAVIS LOCK is for private usage along with lighter vessels. But, this lock is no longer in use.

D. The SABIN LOCK and the DAVIS LOCK is slated to be a SUPER LOCK which woiuld provide larger freighters to pass the locks. This was scheduled for re-development in June of 2009. But, it has not happened as of yet because the funds are not there.

They have Engineers’ Day every June. This is open to the public. It is when the tourists are allowed to go behind the security fence. This is where you can get close enough to the boats where you can touch them.

Canada also has a SOO LOCK, also, that was built in 1798. It was destroyed by the United States in 1814. Was later re-built in 1895. Broke down in 1987. And was later replaced with a new one just used for tourism. This re-opened in 1998.

Along with the DAVIS LOCK this is sighted for tourism as well.

As I have seen the locks myself (I can tell you this is an awesome experience. Us children were taken there on one of our many vacations.

The locks are open from March to January. This is when the locks are looked over and repaired of needed. It’s also closed due to the ice and the severe weather.

The only locks that are currently opened at this time are the (POE and the MCARTHUR) locks that can handle vessels that are 800 feet long and 80 feet wide and 31 feet deep.

The larger locks can handle vessels that are 1200 feet long, 110 feet wide and 32 feet deep. This is the POE LOCK.

The cargo handled on some of these freighters are:

A. Salt
B. Sand
C. Grain
D. Iron Ore
E. Limestone
F. Coal
G. Cement

Plus other items as well.