Our goal is to reopen the Menasha Lock, but not without a solution that prevents the invasive round goby from entering the waters of Lake Winnebago. To that end, we have been working with a firm to study the effects of an electronic barrier and water velocity on deterring the fish from entering the lock […]
THANK YOU to all who traveled through the Fox Locks System this past season! More than 20,000 people explored the Fox River in trips through the locks, making this one of our busiest seasons in recent years! This season, nine locks were operational—next summer we’ll add the Kaukauna locks to that list for a total […]
It’s not every day you see a giant barge slip through the locks, but September 15 was that day. Occasionally, Radtke Contractors asks for a special lockage to transport their equipment via barge. The locks are just large enough to accommodate this barge and you can see the tight fit in this video:
This is an update on action taken at the board of directors’ recent meeting. The board of directors of the Fox River Navigational System Authority (FRNSA) voted to stop the development of a visitor center slated for construction at lock three located near Appleton’s Lawe Street. Plans had called for developing an interpretive center chronicling […]
We welcome an exciting new project to the Little Chute neighborhood! The Village of Little Chute and City of Kaukauna broke ground and celebrated a new project to build a walking trail/bridge connecting the two communities this week. The trail is anchored right next to the lock at Heesaker Park in Little Chute. The trail is […]
Boat traffic through the lock system on the lower Fox River is up over past years, an indication that regional residents are choosing recreational activities closer to home during this time of pandemic. In June of 2020, a total of 1,250 motorized and non-motorized crafts passed through the lock system carrying 5,055 passengers. This is […]
Did you know that it takes about an hour to regenerate the water in the Appleton navigation canals after the locks are opened? That’s why we have what might seem to be an unusual operational schedule for Appleton lock 1 (near the Yacht Club) and Appleton lock 4 (near River Heath). Appleton lock 1 operates […]
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. […]
Many of the locks feature portages for kayaks or canoes and it is a great way to visit the locks and the Fox River. However, in recent years, people have been trespassing on the land and accessing the river at the closed Rapide Croche lock. According to Wisconsin state statute, this lock must remain closed […]
The new chair of the Fox River Navigational System Authority is no stranger to the organization. We welcome back former board member Ron Van De Hey to serve as board chairman. He was appointed by Gov. Evers to fill out the remainder of Tim Rose’s term due to his passing. Ron previously served on the […]