The St. Paul District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released its 2021 navigation statistics for the Upper Mississippi River on Jan. 10. During the 2021 season, Corps staff supported 1,359 commercial navigation lockages at Lock and Dam 2, which was below the 10-year average of 1,421 lockages. The 2021 lockages supported over 7,000,000 tons, or approximately 4,500 barges, of commodities shipped by the navigation industry. In addition to the commercial lockages, Corps staff locked 2,622 recreation vessels during 1,330 lockages. To minimize lockages, the Corps prefers to include multiple recreation vessels during a single lockage. There were an additional 10 lockages from various government agencies including the Corps. The 2021 navigation season unofficially ended Nov. 28, after the Motor Vessel Jonathon Erickson departed St. Paul. The 2021 navigation season started March 19, when the Motor Vessel R. Clayton McWhorter locked through Lock and Dam 2, en route to St. Paul. Navigation statistics fluctuate from year to year, depending on the weather, river flows and the length of the navigation season.
