The staff at the Calcasieu Lock could be cut by half within the next 18 months because less federal money could be allocated to its operation and maintenance, the Army Corps of Engineers says.
Lockmaster Kevin Galley told a ports group meeting this past week that traffic will experience slowdowns in going through the lock.
The American Press reports that in a talk to the Propeller Club-Ports of Southwest Louisiana, he also said the heavy rainfall the area has experienced in recent weeks could lead to delays in traversing the lock for up to two months because of high water.
The lock's main function is keeping saltwater out of the Mermentau Basin.
