FLORENCE, Ala. – The Tennessee Valley Authority and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be implementing an interim solution for the guard wall at Wilson Lock to allow normal operations to resume, which will improve lock duration times for commercial vessels, reduce safety risks for workers, and support more than 11 million tons of goods that pass through Wilson Lock each year.
Starting on May 12, TVA began the mobilization of an interlocking system of three ocean barges and equipment to provide an interim guard wall solution to support navigation traffic at Wilson Lock. Each barge is 195 feet long, making the overall length of the temporary guard wall 585-feet-long. This interim solution is designed to last between five to 10 years.
To ensure the barges were ready to be deployed immediately after the Corps finished its repairs and reopened Wilson’s Lock main chamber, the ancillary systems, including lighting, handrails, and electrical components, were installed at a docking area near Pickwick Dam in June.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District is closing the main lock to navigation July 14-28, 2025, while TVA installs the interim guard wall. USACE will operate and keep the auxiliary lock open for navigation traffic during the installation.
TVA will provide construction management oversight, and our Equipment Support Services Group will provide boat services during positioning and installation of the ocean barges. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be managing lock traffic.
Additional Information:
- On August 31, 2021, the Wilson Lock floating wall that guides boats into the primary lock lost buoyancy, detached, and sank to the bottom of the reservoir. This was a result of impacts from Hurricane Ida. Inspections showed there were no safety or environmental impacts to the dam.
- TVA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have been collaborating on this issue since day one to ensure impacts to navigation and the industry are minimal. Up until the closure of the main lock in September 2024, TVA’s Equipment Support Services Group provided boat support to commercial vessels to maintain navigation traffic.
- While the interim solution is in use, TVA will continue to collaborate with various partners to seek funding for a permanent floating wall that mirrors the design of the original solution and includes modernized features.
About TVA
About TVAThe Tennessee Valley Authority is the nation’s largest public power supplier, delivering energy to more than 10 million people across seven southeastern states. TVA has one of the most diverse energy systems – including nuclear, hydro, solar, gas, and advanced technologies. To prepare for the future, TVA is making significant investments in its power system toward new generation and transmission.
TVA is a corporate agency of the United States, receiving no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of electricity. TVA maintains some of the lowest energy costs and highest reliability in the nation. TVA’s retail rates are lower than 80 percent of the rest of the nation, while its industrial rates are lower than 95 percent of the top utilities. In addition, TVA provides flood control, navigation, and land management for the Tennessee River system, and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation.