It’s — unofficially — winter on the upper Mississippi River.
The last dozen barges of the season departed from St. Paul, Minnesota, on Nov. 25, pushed south by the Motor Vessel Sierra Dawn, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District.
Because the river freezes over the winter in its northernmost parts, barge traffic on the river always halts at some point until springtime. This year, that point is now.
Shipping on the lower river carries on year-round.
The shipping season opened in 2025 with the arrival of the Motor Vessel Neil N. Diehl in St. Paul on March 19, which was pushing nine barges.
The Mississippi River plays a critical role in transporting goods through and out of the U.S. It carries around 500 million short tons per year of goods, including corn, soy, fertilizer, road salt, coal and petroleum products. As one example, 60% of all grain exported from the U.S. is shipped on the river.
When the shipping season is over, Army Corps staff turns to maintenance on the upper Mississippi’s 29 locks and dams. These looming concrete structures were constructed mostly between 1930 and 1940 to help boats hauling freight up and down the river to have easier passage.
Because of their age, there is usually plenty to do to maintain them. This year, the Army Corps’ St. Paul District will work on projects at Lock and Dam 7 near La Crescent, Minnesota, and Lock and Dam 9, near Lynxville.
Come spring, a tow will break through the ice at Lake Pepin, the largest reservoir of the Mississippi River, and another season will begin.
Madeline Heim covers health and the environment for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She has a special interest in telling stories about the Mississippi River region. Contact her at 920-996-7266 or mheim@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Winter begins on the upper Mississippi River as last barges head south
Reporting by Madeline Heim, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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