Dan Burger, lockmaster at Lock and Dam 7, in La Crescent, Minnesota, provides an overview of the importance of navigation on the Mississippi River and the importance of the lock and dam system in maintaining navigation. Shipping on the Mississippi River is vital to the nation's economy. 700 million tons of commodities are shipped on the Mississippi River annually. Commodities include fertilizer, grain, and soybeans. A 15-barge tow carries the same amount of commodities as 1,050 semi-trailers .
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, and the city of Northfield, Minnesota, will sign a project partnership agreement for the design and construction of a new city water tower during a brief ceremony May 15.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, announced that County Road 33 over the emergency spillway at Lac qui Parle Dam near Watson, Minnesota, will temporarily transition to one-way traffic starting as early as May 1 and lasting through the remainder of the construction season.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, officially approved the Kinnickinnic River Feasibility Report and Finding of No Significant Impact that recommends the removal of two dams to restore the natural flow April 10.
