This from the Winona News:
First Tow Arrives
Posted Friday, March 28, 2008
The first barge of the spring season arrived in Winona today but it won’t be staying long. The construction barge ‘Al Cenec’ locked through Lock and Dam Six in Trempealeau at 8:21 a.m. today pushing two barges.
Mark Beseler, Lockmaster at Lock and Dam 5-A in Fountain City, told Winona Radio News the Al Cenec had a destination of the Winona harbor but was expected to turn around and head back south. The first actual towboat is on its way upriver though.
The ‘Coral Dawn’ locked through Lock and Dam 12 at Belleview, Iowa, at 8:25 a.m. today pushing 15 barges upbound. In addition, the ‘Joseph Patrick Epstein’, pushing eight barges upbound, made it through the same lock at 9:25 a.m. Thursday.
The ice on Lake Pepin remained at a maximum of 27 inches thick as of Wednesday so it is not certain if either towboat would attempt to go through the lake. Beseler said towboats risk damage to their equipment if the ice is too thick.
