Navigation Channel Conditions Status Report 11.06.2024 - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District

Between Presbyterian and Freidrich Point [River Mile 784 - 785], the navigation channel is just half its authorized width. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has consistently notified commercial vessels to use extreme caution in this reach of the river. The amount of material needing to be dredged is double the total amount ever previously dredged in this location.

The most deceiving part of the river here is the dramatic change in depth between the maintained navigation channel and everything outside of it. As part of an ongoing effort to track the bottom depth conditions in Lake Pepin, and sediment movement over time, LPLA used a mapping technology to help warn recreational boaters of this hazard.

The low water in 2021, combined with a narrowing channel, led to almost predictable boat grounding whenever a boater hugged the buoys to pass another vessel. LPLA has been actively advocating the Corps of Engineers and our U.S. legislators for improved channel conditions. In September of 2021, we saw some results when the Corps of Engineers dredged 26,000 cubic yards of material from this reach. The channel is not yet at its fully authorized width.