On March 20, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that the first barge tow of the season had arrived at St. Paul, MN—the last Upper Mississippi River port to open each year because of ice on Lake Pepin. Marking the unofficial start to the navigation season, the motor vessel Neil N. Diehl was the first to pass through Lock and Dam 2, in Hastings, MN, with nine barges.
The Upper Mississippi River had been closed since December 1, 2024. Each winter, because of cold weather and icy conditions, the Upper Mississippi River closes to barge traffic. On average, the first tow of the season occurs in the third week of March. Last year, the first tow arrived on March 17. In 1983, 1984, and 2000, a tow reached St. Paul on March 4—the earliest arrival date on record. With the Upper Mississippi River navigation open, the system will continue to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective waterborne transportation for fertilizers that farmers depend on to grow corn and soybeans.
Source: USDA