Mississippi River

Officials update Mississippi River fish consumption guidelines

Apr 3, 2024

The Minnesota Department of Health has new and updated guidance on fish consumption for the Mississippi River from St. Paul to Wabasha, due to a mixture of pollutants — including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — found in fish tissue, according to a news release. The new guidance, issued...

Commercial navigation season begins on Lake Pepin

Mar 20, 2024

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, locked the Motor Vessel Joseph Patrick Eckstein with 12 barges through Lock and Dam 2, in Hastings, Minnesota, March 17, en route to St. Paul. The St. Paul District considers the first tow to arrive at Lock and Dam 2 as the unofficial start of...

Ice measurements canceled for the year

Feb 28, 2024

The 2023 commercial navigation season started March 12, when the Motor Vessel Phillip M Pfeffer broke its way through the ice of Lake Pepin to travel to St. Paul. Whichever boat is the first to traverse Lake Pepin this year may not encounter much ice on the lake, if any. The U.S. Army Corps of...

Corps: Lockages below 10-year average in St. Paul District

Jan 3, 2024

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, released its 2023 navigation statistics for the Upper Mississippi River, showing lockages below the 10-year average throughout the district, including the two nearest to Lake City. The 2023 navigation season unofficially ended Nov. 23, after the...

Commercial navigation season comes to a close for 2023

Dec 6, 2023

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, saw the last tow of the 2023 navigation season as the Motor Vessel Thomas Erickson, departed Lock and Dam 10, near Guttenberg, Iowa, Dec. 3, with 15 barges. Meanwhile Minnesota Department of Conservation officers reported ice angler activity on...

Corps, Wabasha to sign non-binding dredge sand agreement on July 24

Jul 19, 2023

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, and the city of Wabasha, Minn., are set to sign a historic river sand management document during a brief ceremony in Wabasha July 24, according to the Army Corps of Engineers. The ceremony is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., at the National Eagle...

DNR-contracted commercial fishers capture 30 invasive carp on Mississippi

Mar 29, 2023

A commercial fishing business contracted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) captured 30 invasive carp Monday in Pool 6 of the Mississippi River, near Winona. While invasive carp have been previously captured in Pool 6 and upstream as far as the Twin Cities metro, this is the...

Army Corps seeks comment on lake habitat rehabilitation project

Aug 17, 2022

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is seeking public comments on the Lower Pool 4 Big Lake Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Project and will host a public meeting Aug. 29, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Wabasha-Kellogg High School. Wabasha-Kellogg High School is located at 2113...

Dennis Robertson presents river history, music at library on Sept. 8

Aug 17, 2022

As part of Lake City’s 150th Anniversary Celebration, the Lake City Public Library invites the public to a fun and entertaining presentation led by local musician and historian Dennis Robertson. This event takes place on Thursday, Sept. 8, at 6:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public....

Flowering Rush control coming to area backwaters

Jun 29, 2022

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is asking boaters to avoid specific backwater areas of Upper Mississippi River Pools 4, 5, 7 and 8 during upcoming invasive species control efforts. Beginning the week of June 27, 2022, the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (Refuge)...