Navigation season opens on upper Mississippi River

The navigation season is open on the upper Mississippi River.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the towboat New Dawn passed through Lock and Dam 2 near Hastings, Minnesota, on March 25th pushing nine loaded barges toward St. Paul.

The Corps considers the arrival of the first tow at Lock and Dam 2 the unofficial start of the navigation season because it means all of its locks are accessible.

The earliest that up-bound tows have reached Hastings was March 4 in 1983, 1984 and 2000. Last year the first tow didn't reach the dam until April 16. Last season closed when the last down-bound tow passed through the lock on Nov. 20.

Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune