ST. PAUL, Minn. – -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, released its 2021 navigation statistics for the Upper Mississippi River today, Jan. 10.
During the 2021 season, Corps staff supported 1,586 commercial navigation lockages at Lock and Dam 5A, near Fountain City, Wisconsin, which was slightly below the 10-year average of 1,601 lockages. The 2021 lockages supported 7,929,880 tons, or approximately 5,100 barges of commodities shipped by the navigation industry. During the 2020 season, Corps staff supported 1,904 commercial lockages and the movement of 10,061,831 tons of commodities.
In addition to the commercial lockages, Corps staff locked 3,715 recreation vessels during 1,483 lockages. To minimize lockages, the Corps tries to include multiple recreation vessels during a single lockage. There were an additional 33 lockages from various government agencies including the Corps.
The 2021 navigation season unofficially ended Nov. 28, 2021, after the Motor Vessel Jonathon Erickson departed St. Paul, Minnesota. The 2021 navigation season started March 19, 2021, when the Motor Vessel R. Clayton McWhorter locked through Lock and Dam 2, near Hastings, Minnesota, en route to St. Paul.
Navigation statistics fluctuate from year to year, depending on the weather, river flows and the length of the navigation season. The St. Paul District maintains a 9-foot navigation channel from Minneapolis to Guttenberg, Iowa. Keeping this system open is vital to the nation’s economy.
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