Safe harbor lockages will begin on Tuesday Nov. 8  to allow safe passage for vessels before Subtropical Storm Nicole makes local landfall. Locks on the Okeechobee Waterway will be open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. with the last lockage starting at 9:30 p.m., supporting vessel safe harbor passage, and the Canaveral Lock will be open during normal hours, from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., with the last lockage starting at 9 p.m.. Lock operations will stop 8 hours prior to landfall, as railroad and drawbridges will be lowered or rotated and locked into a secure position. It's important that all vessels are at their intended destination before bridges are secured and passage across the waterway suspended.

No mooring of vessels on Corps Structures during event.

For Lock Operator safety, the locks will:

1. Stop locking vessels or working outdoors if lightning is observed within five miles of the lock, and operations will not resume until lightning has not been seen in the area for 30 minutes.

 2. Stop locking vessels when winds exceed 35 mph

After a storm, it could be days or weeks before the waterway is reopened, depending on damage to structures and how quickly debris creating navigation hazards can be removed. When locking is resumed, it will be at the site’s normal locking hours: Okeechobee Waterway Locks from 7 AM to 5 PM, Canaveral Harbor Lock 6 AM to 9:30 PM.

For up-to-date Lock information, contact the shift operator at:

Okeechobee Waterway Locks from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

St. Lucie Lock & Dam 772-287-2665

     Port Mayaca Lock & Dam 561-924-2858

     Moore Haven Lock & Dam 863-946-0414

     Ortona Lock & Dam 863-675-0616

 W.P. Franklin Lock & Dam 239-694-5451

Canaveral Harbor Lock 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

      Canaveral Lock 321-783-5421