Closing of Lock #3 from HI Water?

Seems like every year when the water rises and the Corps sends out a notice that the Locks in MPLS are closing due to high flows, the rumors start flying either L&D #3 is closing or the Mississippi River is closing.

And the phone starts ringing off the wall at the Lock.

Some cities may close their access to the river…most of the time it’s because it’s flooded. The City of Hudson WI does this more Springs then not.

L&D #3 switches to a lower gear ratio on the down stream lock gates at some point and I’m going to guess they are in low gear now. It’s going to take maybe 10 minutes longer to Lock threw.

Our friends from the Corp would like to send out a reminder to boaters that it’s still breaking the law to “shoot” the dam and very dangerous with the fast moving water.

Have fun and be safe this weekend!

dang that does bring back some old memories in the late 60s early 70s i got my butt chewed out by the head lock man at 5a for shooting through the dam when they were open for 3 or 4 days in a row to run set lines. but i was a dumb 13 yr old in a 10 ft flat with a 3 1/2 hp sea king but i did sit on the floor to be safe and then i could get it to plane off good too good times but glad im around to remember them, probably did look a little scary watching some dumb kid doing that back then.

With a 3.5 I doubt it would make it up through the rollers on #3.

I’m not sure there would be enough to steer a boat in that kind of down stream current.

Which way were you going Steve?

down stream and got in trouble from lock man and didnt do that again kinda scares me now thinking about it.

5a pulls gates sometimes when flow is around 50,000 so it may not be as bad as some of the larger dam flow when they pull gates, still wasnt very smart of me then but i made it lucky kid

50k cfs will make a man respect the river in short order.

I’ve been on P4 when it was in the 90k range.

It changes everything about boat control.

One of the locks in the cities (I can picture it but don’t know the number) fills so fast when I went through they told me to let go of the ropes and fend for myself in the middle. It was like sitting on a giant fire hydrant.

I’m guessing that was at the Ford Dam or Lock #1.

First time I was in there I thought the operator was mad at me!