Corps of Engineers releases stats for Mississippi River
A view of Lock and Dam 9 in Lynxville. The Corps of Engineers has completed its service year for 2025. The locks will open in the spring of 2026. (Steve Van Kooten/Courier Press)
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - St. Paul District released its 2025 Mississippi River navigation stats for locks and dams on Jan. 22.
The St. Paul District covers a stretch of the river that includes Lock and Dam 9 in Lynxville, 10 in Guttenberg, Iowa, and 11 others.
During the 2025 season, Corps staff supported 1,478 commercial navigation lockages at Lock and Dam 9, near Lynxville, Wisconsin, which was below the 10-year average of 1,830 lockages. The lockages supported around 8.6 million tons, or approximately 4,900 barges, of commodities shipped by the navigation industry. During the 2024 season, Corps staff supported 1,377 commercial lockages and the movement of 9,610,830 tons of commodities.
Corps staff locked 2,501 recreation vessels during 1,112 lockages. To minimize lockages, the Corps tries to include multiple recreation vessels during a single lockage. There were an additional 34 lockages from various government agencies, including the Corps.
In that same timeframe, the Corps supported 1,741 commercial navigation lockages at Lock and Dam 10, near Guttenberg, Iowa, which was below the 10-year average of 2,174 lockages. The lockages supported around 10.5 million tons, or approximately 6,000 barges of commodities shipped by the navigation industry. During the 2024 season, Corps staff supported 1,565 commercial lockages and the movement of 10,895,855 million tons of commodities.
In addition to the commercial lockages, Corps staff locked 1,406 recreation vessels during 837 lockages. To minimize lockages, the Corps tries to include multiple recreation vessels during a single lockage. There were an additional 36 lockages from various government agencies including the Corps.
The total tonnage at Lock and Dam 10, the district’s southernmost lock, was 10,569,952 million tons — a slight decrease of 325,903 tons compared to the 2024 navigation season.
While the tonnage shipped is nearly 3.2 million tons below the 10-year average, the volume highlights the river's role as a conduit for transporting bulk commodities, which is essential for the region's economy.
Mitch Serjogins, St. Paul District's acting locks and dams chief, said, “Mississippi River navigation traffic historically ebbs and flows much like the river itself and is based on a variety of factors such as market conditions and weather. The importance of the channel remains the constant variable. As much as 60% of all U.S. grain exports are shipped on the river. The river is truly the lifeblood to global food supply chain.”
According to the Corps of Engineers’ Lock Performance Monitoring System, the tonnage includes 5.12 million tons of agricultural products such as corn and soybeans and 2.48 million tons of fertilizer.
Serjogins called the river a 'silent' superhighway, and Corps of Engineers staff are always focused on safety. “We work 24/7 to keep commodities moving,” he said. “In fact, we completed 15,353 commercial lockages this year without an injury.”
In addition to the commercial traffic, the St. Paul District had an additional 13,435 recreation boat lockages. This is 1,320 more lockages than staff supported in 2024.
