By Douglass Huxley and Maria Rutherford
BEVERLY — One of the most historic river locks in the nation is once again open to the public, and the boating community is ready to reap the benefits.
Located in Beverly, the Muskingum River Lock and Dam Number Four is located in proximity to Thompson Run and close to West Branch Wolf Creek.
According to a dam safety inspection from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the last inspection of the lock, prior to the repairs, was done Oct. 25, 2018, and the condition of the dam was assessed as poor. The lock had suffered damages caused by erosion which had caused the supporting blocks to collapse.
Originally when investigated by the project engineer, Walt Whitmire with Ruhlin Co. of Sharon Center, it was found that three of the six sets of blocks under the northern gate were gone and in need of immediate repair. The lock was completely drained and cleanup was handled one section at a time.
Initially, the completion date was set for March of this year, however the finalization of the project came to fruition at the end of August.
The locks along the Muskingum River were recognized as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 2001. The locks were significantly responsible for Ohio’s growth in the 1800s. There are 13 in total, ranging from Zanesville to Marietta. Not all are functioning, however, most are open for daily use for recreational and commercial boat traffic.
The Beverly Lock’s repairs come just in time to end the summer season on a high note for boaters in the area who commonly use the lock for recreational purposes. For those who need some refreshing on the proper procedures for boaters to follow when using the lock, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources provides the following list:
¯ Enter the lock at idle speed.
¯ When approaching a lock at idle speed, sound one long blast followed by one short blast to indicate your desire to lock through. On the Ohio River, use the pull chain located on the short lock wall to activate the whistle.
¯ Do not block the way of boats exiting or entering the lock or priority vessels. Especially stay clear of barges and other large vessels which create a current that can draw smaller boats into their path.
¯ Avoid restricted zones and the areas at the end of lock walls at all times.
¯ Wait well upstream or downstream of the lock until permission is granted to enter the lock chamber.
¯ Enter the lock only after the lockmaster directs you and grants permission to proceed. Either flashing lights or horn blasts will be used to communicate with you. Radio communication is available with lock masters on the Ohio River. Channel 16 may be used as an emergency hailing channel to contact them initially. You will be directed to transmit on Channel 13 or 14. Communications may not interfere with the transmissions between tows.
¯ Remain seated while the water level changes and keep your lifejacket secured.
¯ Loosely tie your craft to the mooring devices in the lock to permit your boat to rise and fall with the water. Use floating mooring devices when available. Boat fenders may be used to protect the hull of your boat.
¯ Carry a minimum of 50 feet of mooring line. When mooring, make sure your lines can rise and fall with the water level. Do not tie to a fixed object.
¯ Depart the lock at idle speed when signaled by the lockmaster or the signal light.
Also do some research prior to any outing that involves use of the lock to check the hours of operation and understand that “designated craft such as United States military vessels, commercial passenger craft, commercial tows and commercial anglers have priority over recreational boats.”
Maria Rutherford and Douglas Huxley can be reached at mrutherford@newsandsentinel.com and dhuxley@newsandsentinel.com
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