SARANAC LAKE — The lower locks on the Saranac lakes chain will be shut down for the winter on Thursday, Dec. 11, the state Department of Environmental Conservation announced today. Located on the Saranac River near Oseetah Lake, the locks are closed and made inoperable every winter to avoid unsafe situations for users and to prevent damage to the locks. “DEC must act responsibly to protect the public and ensure the continued long term operation of these important facilities,” DEC Region 5 Director Betsy Lowe said in a written statement. “Operation of the locks in the presence of ice is unsafe for users and can overtax the locks’ machinery and equipment.” Operation of the locks in icy conditions in the past was the cause of damage to hoses, hydraulic rams and the hydraulic control mechanism, according to the DEC. The repair of these damages is costly and stops boater traffic in the highly utilized area while the locks are being repaired. The DEC does not officially close the