bRENNAN Blog
![From Crisis to Coordination: The Demopolis Emergency Lock and Dam Repair [with video]](https://jfbdivi.jnbdev.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Thumbnail-Demopolis-video-2-1-400x250.webp)
From Crisis to Coordination: The Demopolis Emergency Lock and Dam Repair [with video]
When a structural failure at the Demopolis Lock and Dam in Alabama brought barge traffic to a halt on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), R&D Maintenance, and J.F. Brennan Company (Brennan) joined forces to deliver a fast, high-stakes solution. The breach—described by Colonel Jeremy Chapman of USACE as “a hole the size of a school bus”—stopped commercial navigation across two major waterways and threatened economic losses in the millions each month.
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We are at the Lock and Dam 19 facility in Keokuk, Iowa, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Our team replaced an 18,000-LB, 105-FT underwater soundbar with wet-mateable connections (cables and speakers that can be connected and disconnected underwater). This underwater acoustic deterrent system (UADS) upgrade allows divers to replace individual speakers if underperforming rather than continuing to remove the entire system.
Why? The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is spearheading a 3-year study to reduce the number of invasive carp moving toward the Great Lakes. It is the only study on the Mississippi River evaluating a deterrent for invasive carp.
Minnesota Power Hydro Dam: The New Era of Renewable Energy
We’re at Minnesota Power’s hydroelectric dam in Scanlon, Minnesota, to replace 7 of the structure’s Tainter gates. Extending the life of this renewable energy source by 50 to 100 years, the Scanlon Dam Gate Replacement Project enables the further creation of clean, renewable power provided to local communities.
We were pulled into the project very early on during the design phase of the project. Both Brennan and Minnesota Power attribute the project’s success to early contractor involvement.
Underwater Acoustic Deterrent System: Upgrades to Protect the Great Lakes from Invasive Carp
We are at the Lock and Dam 19 facility in Keokuk, Iowa, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Our team replaced an 18,000-LB, 105-FT underwater soundbar with wet-mateable connections (cables and speakers that can be connected and disconnected underwater). This underwater acoustic deterrent system (UADS) upgrade allows divers to replace individual speakers if underperforming rather than continuing to remove the entire system.
Why? The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is spearheading a 3-year study to reduce the number of invasive carp moving toward the Great Lakes. It is the only study on the Mississippi River evaluating a deterrent for invasive carp.
The Year’s Best: Our Most Impactful Marine Industry Articles You Won’t Want to Miss
This year, Brennan’s blog posts garnered an impressive readership of over 27,000. An analysis of our most searched topics identified the most significant issues in the environmental and marine construction industries, including those most relevant to our company’s operations. This leads us to the question: What were our industry’s most frequently researched topics?
We’ve examined Brennan’s most popular articles of the year — let’s count them down!
Demopolis Emergency Lock and Dam Repair [with video]
When a structural failure at the Demopolis Lock...