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Archive: November, 2012
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  • November

    Corps of Engineers will close Lock and Dam 6 this winter for maintenance work

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is closing Lock and Dam 6, near Trempealeau,
  • MINNESOTA CITY, Minn.—Nate Van Loon, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, diver, conducts periodic inspections at Lock and Dam No. 5 on the Mississippi River near Minnesota City, Minn., Sept. 18. 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.

    Periodic Inspections keep infrastructure working

    The district’s water control structures, such as the 13 locks and dams on the Mississippi River, undergo a number of site-specific inspections and assessments. The inspections ensure the structures are safe and reliable for the navigation industry. After all of the inspections and assessments are completed, a periodic inspection report is created. The district completed seven inspection reports on locks and dams and reservoirs this year.