During an average winter, what part (if any) of the Mississippi River becomes unnavigable?

When Old Man Winter Grips the Mississippi: Can’t Get There From Here

The Mississippi River: it’s more than just a big ol’ waterway; it’s a lifeline for American commerce. But just like folks head south for the winter, parts of the Mississippi pretty much shut down when the cold sets in. We’re talking about the northern stretches, the Upper Mississippi, where ice turns the river from a highway into something more like a skating rink.

Typically, you’ll find that the river becomes unnavigable from Minneapolis, Minnesota, down to around Guttenberg, Iowa – basically, around Lock and Dam 10. That’s where the ice really starts to take hold.

Now, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, those are the folks in charge of keeping the river open for business, usually close this section to barges and other commercial traffic in late November or early December. Of course, Mother Nature has the final say, so the exact date can bounce around depending on how harsh the winter is. But generally, you can expect the “closed” sign to stay up until March. I remember one year, back in 2014, things got so icy so early that it was the earliest closing in 45 years! The shipping season wrapped up way back on November 21st that year. More recently, in 2023, the last tow made it through Lock and Dam 10 on December 3rd. And in 2024, the Motor Vessel Ashley Danielson, the last barge of the season, squeezed through Lock and Dam 2 on December 1st, marking the end of navigation on the far Upper Mississippi.

Why the big shutdown? Well, ice is a menace. It can make navigation a real headache, bash up boats, and even jam up the locks and dams. And let me tell you, Lake Pepin, that wide spot in the river between Red Wing and Wabasha, Minnesota, is notorious for ice buildup because the current slows to a crawl there. You can even get ice jams, which are like a traffic pileup on the river, blocking everything and sometimes even forcing road closures nearby.

This closure isn’t just a minor inconvenience; it hits the economy hard, especially agriculture. Think about all those farmers in Minnesota and neighboring states who depend on the river to ship their grain down to New Orleans for export. When the river’s closed, they’re forced to use trains or trucks, which can really eat into their profits. And it’s not just farmers, either. Industries that haul stuff like cement, road salt (ironically!), and fertilizer also feel the pinch. The USACE figures that using the river saves businesses around $430 million compared to trucking things around. That’s real money!

But while the river’s taking a winter nap, the Army Corps of Engineers doesn’t just sit idle. They use this time to get some much-needed maintenance done on the locks and dams. It’s like taking the car in for a tune-up so it runs smoothly when spring rolls around. For instance, in 2024, they had maintenance lined up at Locks and Dams 2, 5, 5A, 7, and 9. Keeps everything ship-shape, you know?

Now, while the Upper Mississippi is snoozing under a blanket of ice, the Lower Mississippi usually stays open for business. However, even down there, they can run into trouble, especially when drought conditions cause water levels to drop. Then they have to get the dredges out to keep the channel deep enough for ships to pass.

So, yeah, the Mississippi River is a year-round workhorse, but winter throws a wrench in the gears up north. The ice forces a shutdown, which has economic consequences, but it also gives the infrastructure a chance to recover and get ready for another busy season. It’s all part of the cycle of life on the river.