NEWS RELEASE
Nov. 30, 2009
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
St. Paul District
Release #PA-2009-148
Contact: Shannon Bauer, 651-290-5108
Upper Mississippi locks and dams to close to navigation Dec. 7
SAINT PAUL, MINN. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, will
close its locks and dams to navigation, regardless of weather, Dec. 7 for
winter maintenance work.
The St. Paul District operates and maintains 13 locks and dams, beginning at
Upper St. Anthony Falls in the Twin Cities and ending at Lock and Dam 10 in
Guttenberg, Iowa. Each dam represents a critical step in the “stairway of
water” that makes navigation possible between Minneapolis and St. Louis.
Lock and Dam 3, located north of Red Wing, Minn., will be closed until March
29, weather and river conditions permitting, to begin a $70 million
renovation project at this site. This project will include extending the
lock’s upper guidewall 800 feet and modifying the channel to reduce the river
outdraft forces that tend to pull barge tows towards the gated dam portion of
the facility, creating a safety problem. The upper and lower embankments that
maintain the river pool elevation will also be rehabilitated.
Lock and Dam 5, located in Minnesota City, Minn., will be closed until March
15, weather and river conditions permitting, which will allow the Corps to
dewater and perform major maintenance on this lock during the winter. This
rehabilitative work is scheduled every 20 years on each St. Paul District
lock and dam. Lock and Dam 5 was last dewatered in 1990.
Lock and Dam 6, located near Trempealeau, Wis., and Lock and Dam 7, located
near La Crescent, Minn., will be closed until March 9, weather and river
conditions permitting, to install bulkhead slots.
Local traffic wishing to lock through lock and dams not undergoing repair
work may make advance arrangements with individual lockmasters.
The average end date of the navigation season in St. Paul is Nov. 30. Warm
weather this past fall has allowed the Corps to keep its locks and dams open
longer than usual.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, serves the American
public in the areas of environmental enhancement, navigation, flood damage
reduction, water and wetlands regulation, recreation sites and disaster
response. It contributes around $126 million to the five-state district
economy. The more than 625 employees work at more than 40 sites in five
upper-Midwest states. For more information, see http://www.mvp.usace.army.mil.
just wondering how that will affect the normal spring flow and spawning runs?
