Olmsted Locks and Dam is one of the largest and most significant inland waterway projects ever undertaken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Louisville District. Located on the Ohio River at River Mile 964.4 near Olmsted, Illinois.

Key Challenges

Extreme Scale and Complex Access on Massive Structures

The bulkheads/stoplogs are exceptionally large and heavy, with heights up to 38 feet and widths spanning 112 feet. Traditional scaffolding or access methods would have been inefficient, unsafe, and impractical for full-surface preparation and coating on these unique, high-head dewatering components in a river setting.

How we met the challenge:

• Paragon engineered and deployed an innovative custom containment and work-access system tailored specifically to the stoplogs’ dimensions and site conditions. This allowed complete, stable access across all surfaces while enabling efficient, self-performed blasting and painting—eliminating reliance on subcontractors and ensuring precise control over the entire scope.
• Strict Environmental Protection and Containment in a Sensitive River Environment.   Abrasive blasting to SSPC-SP5 standards generates significant dust and media, while the 3-A-Z vinyl coating system requires careful overspray control. The Ohio River location demanded zero environmental releases, especially near active navigation and ecologically sensitive waters. How we met the challenge: Our innovative containment approach fully enclosed the work zones, containing all abrasives, dust, and paint particulates. This solution not only complied with rigorous USACE and environmental regulations but also reduced project risk and dramatically improved worker safety by creating a controlled, weather-protected workspace.

• Rigorous Safety and Health Adherence to USACE Exacting Standards
  USACE projects demand the highest level of safety and health performance, with zero tolerance for incidents in a high-hazard environment involving elevated work, abrasive blasting, and coating operations over water. Paragon maintained full adherence to USACE’s stringent safety and health requirements throughout the project. Our innovative containment and access system was specifically designed to minimize fall hazards, control respiratory exposures, and reduce slip/trip risks in a riverine setting. Daily safety briefings, continuous monitoring, and a proactive safety culture resulted in zero lost-time incidents and exemplary compliance with USACE EM 385-1-1 safety standards.
• Achieving and Maintaining Highest-Quality Surface Preparation and Coating Performance
  SSPC-SP5 white metal blast requires near-perfect cleanliness on vast surface areas, and the 3-A-Z vinyl system demands precise timing between coats, optimal environmental conditions, and exact dry-film thickness to ensure long-term corrosion protection in the dam’s demanding immersion/abrasion service. Any deviation could compromise the stoplogs’ ability to perform reliably for dewatering. As prime contractor, Paragon’s experienced crews self-performed 100% of the abrasive blasting and painting. The custom containment system provided climate-controlled conditions for consistent results, enabling rigorous in-house quality assurance, timely coat applications, and full compliance with USACE specifications—delivering a durable, high-performance coating system on these uniquely sized structures.

Paragon’s innovative methods, self-performance, rigorous USACE safety compliance, and commitment to excellence ensured the successful rehabilitation of these critical Olmsted Dam stoplogs while prioritizing safety, environmental stewardship, and quality. This project exemplifies our ability to tackle complex, large-scale hydraulic steel rehabilitation challenges for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.