Corps of Engineers hosts Upper Saint Anthony Falls Lock and Dam open house

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is hosting an open house at Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam in Minneapolis, July 26, in conjunction with the Aquatennial.

Corps officials are hosting the free event from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., to allow people to get a behind-the-scenes view of the site.

Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam is located at 1 Portland Avenue in Minneapolis.

Upper St. Anthony Falls closed to navigation June 10, 2015; however, the Corps still owns and maintains the lock for the purpose of flood control. Personnel from the Corps will be on hand during the open house to answer questions and guide visitors.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is celebrating 250 years of service to the nation throughout 2025. The organization was established on June 16, 1775, when the Continental Congress appointed the first chief engineer to lead the construction of military fortifications and infrastructure.

The St. Paul District navigation program provides a safe, reliable, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable waterborne transportation system on the Upper Mississippi River for the movement of commercial goods and for national security needs. To do this, the district maintains a 9-foot navigation channel and 13 locks and dams from Minneapolis to Guttenberg, Iowa. Keeping this system open is vital to the nation’s economy. Nearly 11 million tons of commodities were shipped or received within the St. Paul District in 2024.

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