The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, locked the Motor Vessel Phillip M Pfeffer with six barges through Lock and Dam 2 in Hastings Sunday, en route to St. Paul, Minnesota.
The lockage marks the unofficial start to the 2023 Upper Mississippi River navigation season.
The tow, along with the Motor Vessel Neil N. Diehl, broke through the ice in Lake Pepin this past weekend.
The lake is the last major barrier for vessels reaching the head of the navigation channel in St. Paul located between Red Wing and Wabasha.
Picture by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District