ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, released its 2025 navigation statistics for the Upper Mississippi River today, Jan. 22.
During the 2025 season, Corps staff supported 1,741 commercial navigation lockages at Lock and Dam 10, near Guttenberg, Iowa, which was below the 10-year average of 2,174 lockages. The lockages supported around 10.5 million tons, or approximately 6,000 barges of commodities shipped by the navigation industry. During the 2024 season, Corps staff supported 1,565 commercial lockages and the movement of 10,895,855 million tons of commodities.
In addition to the commercial lockages, Corps staff locked 1,406 recreation vessels during 837 lockages. To minimize lockages, the Corps tries to include multiple recreation vessels during a single lockage. There were an additional 36 lockages from various government agencies including the Corps.
The 2025 navigation season unofficially ended Nov. 25, 2025, after the Motor Vessel Sierra Dawn departed St. Paul, Minnesota. The 2025 navigation season started March 19, 2025, when the Motor Vessel Neil N. Diehl broke her way through the ice of Lake Pepin enroute 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.
-30-
Release no. 26-015