Efforts are ramping up to keep the locks on the Upper Monongahela River open.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced earlier this year plans to close recreational locks at Opekiska Lock and Dam near Prickett’s Fort and the Hildebrand Lock and Dam near Lowesville.
The Corps also plans to restrict lockages at the Morgantown Lock and Dam to one shift on weekends. Commercial boats will be granted access through the locks on each dam by appointment only.
The Corps cited budget cuts and a lack of traffic as the reasons for the closures.
However, some residents are fighting the plan. Barry Pallay is the vice president of the Upper Mon River Association. He’s asking numerous local government and community organizations to pass a resolution against the closures.
The Marion and Monongalia County commissions are expected to pass the resolution this week. Pallay made a presentation to the Morgantown City Council Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday. City leaders agreed to put the resolution on a future regular council meeting agenda. The city of Fairmont is also considering the resolution.
The Upper Mon River Association plans to ask other local government agencies — including Star City, Granville and Westover — to also approve the resolution.
"The river and locking through are very important for commerce, recreation and economic development," Pallay said. "We are compromising."
The compromise involves scaling back — rather than eliminating — the number of days the locks are open, specifically at the Opekiska Dam and Hildebrand Dam. Those locks are currently open 91 days in the summer; Pallay is asking the Corps to keep the locks open for 45 days, instead of being closed.
But the Corps has said the closures are necessary. The Corps’ budget for maintenance has been cut from $800 to $400. To save money, Corps officials have chosen locks and dams with low traffic numbers to shut down. Last year, the Corps closed two locks and dams on the Allegeheny River.
Pallay says if recreational boats are no longer permitted through the locks, about 37 fishing tournaments will be affected. He also said the Hildebrand pool will no longer have any public access points. There is no oublic boat ramp to enter the Hildebrand pool.
The plan from the Corps would also limit recreational locks at the Morgantown Dam to only weekend hours. Pallay wants those locks to remain open during the week.
To make the locks appear more appealing for the Corps to keep open, bass fisherman plan to engage in a "concerted effort" to engage in lockages at the dams, Pallay said.
"It’s to get the number of passages at all three of our locks up," he said.
Pallay says they are working with Sen. Joe Manchin’s office and other officials. He said he believes pressure can lead the Corps to compromise on their plan.