NEW ORLEANS -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, has extended the public review period ending on Aug. 10, 2026, to now end on Aug. 25, 2026, for the Final General Reevaluation Report and Integrated Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (IHNC) Lock Replacement Project.
The final report was released for an initial 30-day public review period starting July 10, 2026, but the review period has been extended by 15 days.
The final report identifies a recommended plan to replace the existing IHNC Lock with a modern shallow draft lock chamber 900-foot in length by 110-feet wide, to be constructed approximately 2,400 feet north of the existing lock.
Additionally, the recommended plan includes associated navigation features, flood risk management features, bridge modifications, traffic and access measures, and community impact mitigation measures.
The IHNC Lock provides the only direct connection between the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and the Mississippi River east of New Orleans. The existing lock is more than 100 years old and no longer meets the needs of modern navigation traffic. Replacing the lock would improve navigation reliability, reduce delays, and support regional and national commerce by maintaining a critical link in the nation’s inland waterway system.
The final report with all supporting documents, including the Community Impact Mitigation Plan and Transportation Mitigation Program can be reviewed online at: https://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/About/Projects/IHNC-Lock-Replacement/
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Release no. 26-026