Lock and Dam 15 on the Upper Mississippi River.

This is lock and dam 15 on the Upper Mississippi River. We are south bound with 15 loads of grain which are headed for the Baton Rouge / New Orleans area for export. Tis grain will then be loaded onto ocean going ships for export to overseas markets. The captain or pilot will call out the deck crew on watch to make the upcoming lock. Sometimes you will have to catch a lock line to help get the group of barges inside the lock chamber.

Mile 483.

Looking down at the lock.

First cut in the lock.

Leaking lock seal.

Oncs inside the lock the 1st group of barges ( 9 barges or less ) are tied off. A pre made coupling called a break coupling in broken and the 2nd group of barges ( 6 barges and the boat are backed out of the lock chamber and tied off. The water in the lock chamber is lowered. the 1st group of barges are then flushed out of the lock chamber. Two crewmembers stop the 1st group of barges using lock lines.

Flushing out the 1st group of barges.

Wes waiting to hand up the lock line to the lock man.

Lock man pulling up the lock line.

Wes stopping the 1st group of barges.

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