MINNESOTA CITY, Minn.—The Motor Vessel James F. Neal enters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, Lock and Dam No. 5 on the Mississippi River near Minnesota City, Minn., Sept. 18, 2012. The Corps was conducting periodic inspections along the lock and dam as a part of the district’s maintenance program. The inspections are a part of the Corps’ effort to maintain the 9-foot navigation channel at the 13 locks and dams within the district’s boundaries. Keeping this system open is vital to the nation’s economy. In 2010, 16.2 million tons of commodities were shipped on the Mississippi River within the St Paul District’s area of operation, including 8 million tons of grain grown in the Upper Midwest. The industries making these shipments saved nearly $384 million by using the inland waterways instead of overland shipping methods.