The St. Paul District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is hosting an open house at the Mississippi River Lock and Dam 2 in Hastings, on Saturday, July 22. According to a Corps press release, Corps officials are hosting the free event from 10 AM to 2 PM to allow people to get a behind-the-scenes view of the site, while also getting a better understanding of what the staff do to ensure safe, reliable navigation. In addition to the open house, Corps staff and partners will have a variety of water safety booths and displays on site. Visitors will have an opportunity to see some of the boats that are used on the river as well as learn about the importance of wearing a life jacket while on the water. Lock and Dam 2 is located along the Mississippi River in Hastings at 1350 Lock and Dam Rd. Nearly 12 million tons of commodities passed through Lock and Dam in 2022. This included nearly 8 million tons of farm products such as corn and soybeans. The industries making these shipments saved approximately $430 million by using the inland waterway instead of overland shipping methods.
