[Granville, WV] Locks Resolution OK’d
Urges Corps to keep river traffic flowing
Morgantown Dominion Post - 15 August 2012
By Chelsea Fuller
A resolution to keep the Monongahela River’s upper locks open was
passed during Granville’s city council meeting Tuesday.
Granville Mayor Patricia Lewis presented council with the
resolution that was offered to her by the Upper Mon River
Association (UMRA), a regional organization that promotes
development of the area encompassed by the drainage basin for the
upper Monongahela River.
“UMRA proposed that we pass this resolution as a means of
supporting local efforts to keep the Mon River’s upper locks
open,” Lewis said. “It is to our advantage to keep the upper locks
open.”
Council agreed with Lewis and the resolution was passed
unanimously.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is discussing the idea of
limiting access to boats and closing certain locks along the
river, including Morgantown’s and the Hildebrand and Opekiska lock
systems, officials said.
On July 17, USACE held a meeting at the WVU National Research
Center for Coal and Energy (NRCCE) in Morgantown to present the
USACE Proposed Upper Monongahela River Service Reduction Plan,
according to a media release.
If the USACE’s proposal is enacted, England said it will restrict
recreational boat lockages, and commerce in the area will be
affected as well.
“The Mon River has been featured in national fishing and wildlife
magazines recently, and a lot of people are coming to this area
just to use and enjoy the river,” England said.
Lewis and England also informed council that closing the upper
locks could be problematic because if closed and not properly
maintained, they could become unusable.
“That is something that needs to be considered heavily before the
USACE goes forward with closing them,” England said.
At its Aug. 7 meeting, Morgantown City Council approved a
resolution supporting the continued use of the Upper Monongahela
River locks, and the Marion County Commission passed a similar
resolution Aug. 1, Lewis said.
“It is so critical that our local communities get behind keeping
the locks open,” Councilman Wilbur England said.