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FRNSA board of directors members and staff pose in front of the ribbon ready to dedicate the Kaukauna Locks Trail

Years of hard work and extreme generosity from funders made the Kaukauna Locks Trail a reality today! Representatives from the Fox Locks board of directors, community leaders, elected officials, and regional attractions gathered in Kaukauna today to dedicate and cut the ribbon on the new trail.

The 1.3-mile recreational trail runs adjacent to the five Kaukauna locks and is a reality thanks to a $300,000 grant from the David L. and Rita E. Nelson Family Fund within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region (CFFVR). CEO of the Community Foundation Curt Detjen thanked the board members and partners of the Fox Locks for making the trail a reality and said it was part of the Nelson family’s vision to aid organizations in the Kaukauna region.

The trail is now open for public use!

L-R, CEO of the Community Foundation Curt Detjen and FRNSA Board Chair Ron Van De Hey get ready to cut the ribbon while FRNSA Executive Director Phil Ramlet looks on.

Original Article

Blog – Fox Locks

Blog – Fox Locks

http://foxlocks.org/2022/08/17/kaukauna-locks-trail-opens-to-public/

Fox Locks

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In: Fox Locks in the News, Important information, Newsletters, Press Releases, What's going on?

Years of hard work and extreme generosity from funders made the Kaukauna Locks Trail a reality today! Representatives from the Fox Locks board of directors, community leaders, elected officials, and regional attractions gathered in Kaukauna today to dedicate and cut the ribbon on the new trail.
The 1.3-mile recreational trail runs adjacent to the five Kaukauna locks and is a reality thanks to a $300,000 grant from the David L. and Rita E. Nelson Family Fund within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region (CFFVR). CEO of the Community Foundation Curt Detjen thanked the board members and partners of the Fox Locks for making the trail a reality and said it was part of the Nelson family’s vision to aid organizations in the Kaukauna region.
The trail is now open for public use!

FRNSA board of directors members and staff pose in front of the ribbon ready to dedicate the Kaukauna Locks Trail
L-R, CEO of the Community Foundation Curt Detjen and FRNSA Board Chair Ron Van De Hey get ready to cut the ribbon while FRNSA Executive Director Phil Ramlet looks on.

Original Article

Blog – Fox Locks

Blog – Fox Locks

http://foxlocks.org/2022/08/17/kaukauna-locks-trail-opens-to-public/

Fox Locks

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In: coronavirus, fox locks, Fox Locks in the News, fox river locks, Fox River Navigational System Authority, Important information, Newsletters, Press Releases, social distancing

Many of the business practices we have at the Fox River Navigational System Authority already take into account social distancing simply due to the nature of our work at the locks. However, to comply with CDC guidelines and state recommendations, we are following these procedures to increase personal safety and limit exposure to the coronavirus.

In our offices:

  • We banned all external visitors from our offices by March 20 and immediately began to work from home.
  • All board meetings and committee meetings have been conducted via videoconference.

At the Locks: This summer we will employ 29 lock tenders at the nine locks on the system that are open for boaters.

  • The nature of operating the locks requires a lock tender to be at each end of the lock, a distance of about 145 feet.
  • Our annual opening day is delayed until May 30, 2020.
  • All lock tenders will be wearing face masks and have hand sanitizer at each lock gate.
  • Lock turnstyles, valve controls and ropes used for anchoring boaters will be wiped down and sanitized after each lockage.
  • When boaters enter the locks, they are between 15’-6’ below the lock’s retaining walls depending on the level of the river, and are naturally socially distanced from the lock tenders.
  • When lock tenders are collecting lock fees they will use a bucket on a pole to avoid contact with boaters.

Our goal is to provide a safe and memorable experience to all boaters traveling through the locks and to pedestrians who want to experience living history in action. For a complete listing of our operating hours and fees to travel the lock system, please visit this link. 

 

Original Article

Blog – Fox Locks

Blog – Fox Locks

http://foxlocks.org/2020/05/28/fox-locks-ensuring-your-safety/

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In: fox locks, Fox Locks in the News, Fox Locks repairs, fox river locks, Fox River Navigational System Authority, Important information, Newsletters, Press Releases, River heath appleton
Construction is underway rebuild a section of the canal wall that abuts the Kaukauna Utilities hydroelectric plant on the eastern side of the lock. Over the years, the force of the water in the canal and the effects of winter weather and heavy rains eroded the canal wall structure creating a small sink hole. In fall of 2019, a 30-foot section of the wall slid into the channel.
“This will replace a segment of the original canal wall built when the lock system was created in the 1880s,” said Jeremy Cords, CEO of the Fox Locks system. “It acts as a dyke on lock four and without re-construction, it would be impossible to maintain navigation on this part of the river.”
Construction crews from McMullen & Pitz will install a cofferdam—a structure that allows water to be pumped out to create a dry area in the channel for construction. Crews will dig to the bedrock or hard pack in the channel, pour a new cement foundation for the wall, and use new and original cut stone to rebuild the wall. A portion of the slope behind the canal wall will be covered with stone rip rap to further stabilize the site.
For questions about the project, please contact us at the Fox River Navigational System Authority or use the contact form on our website.

Original Article

Blog – Fox Locks

Blog – Fox Locks

http://foxlocks.org/2020/02/27/appleton-lock-4-repairs-start/

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In: Fox Locks in the News, Important information, Newsletters, Press Releases, What's going on?

This summer, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey set up at the closed lock 2 in Kaukauna and conducted a series of studies designed to assess the effects of a carbon dioxide barrier. The team built a large carbon dioxide infusion system and operated it in the closed lock and pond, taking thousands of measurements and recording data. This winter, scientists will assess the data to determine the effectiveness of a CO2 barrier in deterring fish, and the potential effects on animals, the river, and the atmosphere. Listen to this short video for more information and watch for the results in 2020!

 

Original Article

Blog – Fox Locks

Blog – Fox Locks

http://foxlocks.org/2019/11/15/study-underway-on-co2-barriers/

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In: electric barrier, Events, fox locks, fox river locks, Fox River Navigational System Authority, Important information, menasha lock, menasha lock closed, Newsletters, Press Releases

Many of our customers and concerned citizens have asked specific questions about the proposed electric barrier for the Menasha Lock. We’re answering some of those questions here in order to give you the facts about the propsed project.

Where will the barrier be located?

The barrier will be constructed immediately downstream of the Menasha lock (remember, the Fox River flows north from Lake Winnebago to Green Bay). The lock is located at 82 Broad Street in the City of Menasha. FRNSA leases the property immediately around the lock from the State of Wisconsin.

What changes are proposed for the Menasha lock?

The proposal calls for building a 100-foot long concrete channel, 36 feet wide with vertical walls approximately 13 feet high (2’ will be visible above the waterline). Electrodes will be recessed in the concrete to create a pulsed DC electrical current. A portion of the riverbank on each side of the channel will be filled in to support the concrete channel. The plan calls for installing failsafe systems in the event of a power outage that include a backup natural gas powered generation system, an uninterpretable power supply to cover any possible lapse in power, and almost a dozen other closely monitored alarm controls that will alert operators to any system changes. The system is being built for future adaptability in mind to deter other invasive species.

Is the electric barrier dangerous to humans?

The barrier uses a pulsed field of direct current (DC) in the water that is not dangerous to humans on shore or in their boats. When going through the proposed barrier, boaters must follow a few safety precautions that are normally required for transit through the locks:

  • All boaters must wear an approved personal flotation device (PFD)
  • When entering the lock, all boat passengers must keep their arms, legs, and metal paddles out of the water.
  • No swimming is allowed in a lock or lock channel (there never has been)

Passengers must not get on or off a boat within locks or the lock channel

Where are electric barrier systems currently in use?

Use of electricity to guide and block fish is not a new concept and was derived from electroshocking technology used by fishery departments in nearly all states. Electrical barriers built in the 1950s and 1960s are still in operation. Electric barriers are custom-designed for each situation and, as such, include a wide variety of barrier geometries, waveforms, and field strengths. In short, the objective of each barrier and guidance system is what drives the system design.

More than 70 Smith-Root-designed electrical barriers and guidance systems have been installed across the globe. In Midwestern states such as Minnesota, Michigan, and Illinois Smith-Root has 28 pulsed DC electrical barriers in operation for multiple years and monitoring shows the barriers operate reliably.

The design proposal is currently 60% complete and has been submitted to the state DNR for review and approval. For more information including design proposals, construction proposals, and supporting documentation, visit this link. 

Original Article

Blog – Fox Locks

Blog – Fox Locks

http://foxlocks.org/2019/10/14/get-the-facts-the-menasha-barrier-part-2/

Fox Locks