• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / News / Boaters urged to steer clear of locks-and-dams on Mississippi River

Boaters urged to steer clear of locks-and-dams on Mississippi River

July 9, 2019 By Matt Kelley

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is urging all boaters on the Mississippi River to give locks-and-dams a wide berth due to “crazy” currents lately.

Corps spokesman Patrick Loch points to a close call a week-and-a-half ago when operators quickly deployed a lifeboat because a pontoon was floating toward Lock and Dam 3 near Red Wing, Minnesota.

“We were able to get to the pontoon before it reached the gates,” Loch says. “They were actually able to get the two boaters off of the pontoon to safety.” Loch says Mississippi River boaters should strictly observe the restricted areas 600-feet upstream and 150-feet downstream from dams.

“The currents up- and downstream get kind of crazy and you really don’t know what they’re gonna do, and if you all of a sudden did lose power, you don’t have a whole lot of time to react.” Loch says boaters should be sure to carry extra gasoline, have an appropriate-sized anchor plus enough line to secure the vessel.

They should also carry a marine radio tuned to distress channel 16 because cell phone coverage might be spotty.

(Corps of Engineers photo)

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: News, Recreation / Entertainment

Featured Stories

Governor signs child care expansion into law

Iowa seniors have until July 1 to apply for new property tax break

Smoke from distant fires creates colorful sunrise in Iowa

DOT’s Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division to merge into State Patrol

Iowa’s governor approves liability limits for trucking industry

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Radio Iowa/Baseball Coaches Association High School Poll 5/29/23

Iowa AD Gary Barta announces retirement

Iowa to visit Creighton in Gavitt Tipoff Games

Iowa and Indiana collide Thursday at B1G baseball tournament

Former Hawkeye joins Lisa Bluder’s staff at Iowa

More Sports

Archives

Copyright © 2023 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC