Corps of Engineers releases Lock & Dam season statistics

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, released the 2014 Upper Mississippi River navigation statistics for Locks and Dams 2-10 on December 10.
The 2014 navigation season was one of the shortest seasons on record. A historically late start, coupled by summer floods and emergency dredging, finished with the earliest closure at Lock and Dam 2, in Hastings, Minnesota, since 1970. Despite the challenges, there were 2,452 lockages at the lock during the 2014 navigation season. There were 2,574 lockages during the 2013 navigation season.
The lockages included 1,237 from commercial navigation; 1,176 recreational boat lockages and 39 additional lockages from government watercraft or a similar group. Corps staff locked 2,307 recreational vessels as a part of the recreation lockages. Typically, the lock operator allows multiple recreation boats within the chamber during a lock.
The commercial navigation industry transported 6,880,464 tons of commodities through the lock during the season. This is an increase of 659,013 tons compared to the 2013 navigation season.
At Lock and Dam 3, near Red Wing, Minnesota, there were 3,775 lockages during the 2014 navigation season. There were 4,123 lockages during the 2013 navigation season.
The total lockages included 1,430 from commercial navigation; 2,319 recreational boat lockages and 26 additional lockages from government watercraft or a similar group. There were 6,472 recreational vessels that were locked through, too.
The commercial navigation industry transported 6,877,442 tons of commodities through the lock during the season. This is an increase of 659,118 tons compared to the 2013 navigation season.
At Lock and Dam 4, in Alma, Wisconsin, there were 3,075 lockages during the 2014 navigation season. There were 3,250 lockages during the 2013 season.
The total lockages included 1,329 from commercial navigation; 2,319 recreational boat lockages and 39 additional lockages from government watercraft or a similar group. There were 3,843 recreational vessels that were locked through, too.
The commercial navigation industry transported 7,356,665 tons of commodities through the lock during the season. This is an increase of 595,575 tons compared to the 2013 navigation season.
At Lock and Dam 5, near Minnesota City, Minnesota, there were 2,542 lockages during the 2014 navigation season. There were 2,675 lockages during the 2013 season.
The total lockages included 1,301 from commercial navigation; 1,182 recreational boat lockages and 66 additional lockages from government watercraft or a similar group. Corps staff locked 2,357 recreational vessels as a part of the recreation lockages.
The commercial navigation industry transported 7,388,113 tons of commodities through the lock during the season. This is an increase of 604,753 tons compared to the 2013 navigation season.
The season unofficially ended when the Motor Vessel Mary K Cavarra passed through the lock November 20. The Motor Vessel Ginger Griffin New was the last lockage of the 2013 season, and she was locked through November 27, 2013. The season started April 14 when the Motor Vessel Angela K reached St. Paul, Minnesota.
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 and 13 locks and dams from Minneapolis to Guttenberg, Iowa. Keeping this system open is vital to the nation’s economy.
The nearly 650 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, employees working at more than 40 sites in five upper-Midwest states serve the American public in the areas of environmental enhancement, navigation, flood damage reduction, water and wetlands regulation, recreation sites and disaster response. Through the Corps’ Fiscal Year 2011 $175 million budget, nearly 2,800 non-Corps jobs were added to the regional economy as well as $271 million to the national economy. For more information, see www.mvp.usace.army.mil.