SFWMD – S127 & S131 Boat Locks
The South Florida Water Management District has several boat locks that allow access to Lake Okeechobee through the levee surrounding the lake. These structures had been in operation over 40 years when machinery failures convinced the District to seek upgraded solutions to keep them operating. In 2006, EHM rehabilitated four of these structures for the District by removing the old electric mechanical hoist systems and installing new hydraulically operated hoist frames. New gate hoist frames driven by hydraulic cylinders were installed to give these gates another 40 years of service to the public. Work consisted of removing the old hoist machinery, preparing the concrete structure for new equipment, adding galvanized steel maintenance platforms, supplying and installing new hydraulically operated hoist frames. EHM fabricated the new hoist frames, hydraulic power units, and the new electrical controls. All equipment was shop tested as a system, delivered, and installed at the sites by the EHM team.