3 Nov 2015

Meeker Dam: Controversy plagued one of the first locks on the Mississippi River

Listed as one of the “controversies” in Raymond Merritt’s book “Creativity, Conflict & Controversy: A History of the St. Paul District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,” the Meeker Dam project continues to provide intrigue.

28 Oct 2015

Dredge Goetz

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, uses the Dredge William L. Goetz to help maintain 850 miles of the Upper Mississippi River, 335 miles of the Illinois River and other inland rivers. The St. Paul District acquired it in the spring of 2005.

27 Oct 2015

Dredge W.A. Thompson and early dredging

In 1930 the 9-foot draft channel was legislated by Congress to increase commerce on the river. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began construction of the series of 29 locks and dams between St. Louis and Minneapolis, creating a stairway of water for river traffic. Since the river is constantly shifting its load of sand and sediment and tributaries along the way contribute more it is necessary to remove the material from the bottom of the channel to prevent a closure to navigation. This process of underwater excavation is called dredging.

4 Feb 2015

Mother Nature allows for start early to winter lock maintenance

Following a historically late start to the navigation season in 2014, Mother Nature once again showed who’s in charge, giving the region a shot of cold air and shutting down navigation earlier than anticipated. This worked in favor of the district’s maintenance and repair section, based out of the Fountain City, Wisconsin, service base.

25 Jan 2012

District dewaters lock and dam for maintenance

The lack of ice and the presence of standing water at the bottom of Lock and Dam 7’s dewatered chamber near La Crosse, Wis., marks a drastic change from last year’s routine winter maintenance, when often times work was done during below zero temperatures. This year, with warmer than normal weather, everything is easier than normal, said Scott Uhl, the crew’s foreman. The improved weather conditions have helped the maintenance and repair crew from Fountain City, Wis., to get slightly ahead of schedule.