MOBILE, Ala. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Mobile District announced today lock changes on the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin. Beginning the week of October 7, 2013 ACF Locks will change to the fall/winter schedules. George W. Andrews, Walter F. George, and Jim Woodruff Locks will move to Monday-Thursday operations, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The locks will be open October 4-5, closed on October 6 and then open Monday-Thursday, October 7-10. This schedule will continue until March 2014.
Boaters should call the numbers below before their trip, as the locks will only be available when Lock Operators are present. If Operators are on annual or sick leave or absent for other reasons, boaters will not be able to lock through. ACF locks will be closed on all federal holidays.
All commercial vessels should schedule an appointment for lockage. Locks will be made available twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week for appointments by commercial traffic. Non-commercial traffic may be accommodated during the hours locks are manned, subject to availability of Lock Operators and in conjunction with maintenance activities and as those activities allow. Some Special Events can be accommodated outside normal schedules but sponsors should contact the locks at least 60-days before of the scheduled date.
ACF Rivers Locks can be reached at the following numbers:
Walter F. George near Ft Gaines, GA – 229-768-0145
George W. Andrews near Columbia, AL – 229-723-3482
Jim Woodruff Lock near Chattahoochee, FL – 850-663-4692
Boaters may also contact the Walter F. George Powerhouse at 229-768-2635 or the Jim Woodruff Powerhouse at 850-663-2291. Both powerhouses can be contacted 24 hours per day.
All locks monitor marine channel 16.
--30--
Release no. 13-035