Ballard Locks small lock upcoming closure to fix leaking gates

The Ballard Locks small lock enclosure is closed after maintenance crews noticed water leaking into the Puget Sound while the gates were closed.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) crews noticed a failed piece of timber on Sept. 24 that they say is “causing a small volume of water to release into the Puget Sound while the gates are in full miter.”

They say they plan to start work to resolve the issue next week, but have closed the small lock for dewatering, a process that can take up to five days. Crews will remove the failing timber component from the north leaf of the west small lock gates and replace it with new timber.

The USACE says that when work begins, all vessels will have to use the large lock enclosure. They say to anticipate delays of up to 45 minutes during the small lock closure.

“The work is necessary to prevent further degradation of the west gates and water flowing through the gates while in miter,” the USACE wrote in a social media post.

Photo: USACE