Lock and Dam 5 dive inspection
MINNESOTA CITY, Minn.—Randy Piel, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, head diver, and Eric Lockington check diving equipment on Nate Van Loon during periodic inspections at Lock and Dam No. 5 on the Mississippi River near Minnesota City, Minn., Sept. 18, 2012. The Corps’ divers work in very low visibility and feel their way around the entire structure. 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.

Contact Public Affairs

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
St. Paul District
Public Affairs Office
332 Minnesota St., Suite E1500
St. Paul, MN 55101

Phone: (651) 290-5807
Fax: (651) 290-5752
cemvp-pa@usace.army.mil