JACKSONVILLE — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, announces the temporary closure of some recreational facilities at the St. Lucie Lock and Dam in advance of scheduled repairs.

The St. Lucie Visitor Center, lock observation decks and the St. Lucie North Recreation Area will be closed effective immediately in preparation for upcoming major maintenance work in the area, and will remain closed until the project is complete. The dewatering and repairs to the St. Lucie Lock and Dam are scheduled to begin Jan. 4 and the project is expected to be complete by April 2022.

The St. Lucie South Campground will remain open during the duration of the maintenance repairs.

“The safety of our employees, volunteers, and visitors remains our top priority. Equipment and materials are currently being staged at the St. Lucie Lock and Dam in preparation for the upcoming dewatering operation and lock repairs,” said Tammy Cleveland, Deputy Chief of the South Florida Operations Office in Clewiston. “We know that the St. Lucie Lock and Dam is a very popular recreational area for the local community and visitors. This the first major maintenance to be performed on this lock in 26 years, and we apologize for any inconvenience during this temporary closure.”

“Our goal is to make sure that everyone can enjoy our recreation areas safely and responsibly,” said Cleveland. “The Corps' team will be working long, hard hours - ten hours per day, six days a week - in order to get this important maintenance work done as soon as possible. We are eager to reopen the lock for vessel traffic and the associated recreational areas for users as soon as it’s safe to do so.”

For more information on Corps Visitor Centers, visit: www.saj.usace.army.mil/VisitorCenters/