Lake Pepin Ice Measurements
- Greg Taylor
- 16 hours ago
- 1 min read
A sign that spring is near as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, has announced that they will begin their annual Lake Pepin ice measurements Tuesday, February 17th.
The lake’s ice thickness is critical information to the shipping industry in forecasting when the navigation season can begin on the Upper Mississippi River.
It helps them determine when it’s safe to break the ice and begin moving commodities such as fertilizer, cement, corn and soybeans to markets near and far. Located between the Red Wing and Wabasha, the lake’s ice thickness is the last major barrier for vessels reaching the head of the navigation channel in St. Paul.
A Corps of Engineers survey crew uses an airboat, auger and a global positioning system to collect the data.
The Motor Vessel Neil N. Diehl was the first tow to pass through Lake Pepin in 2025. She arrived in St. Paul March 20, 2025. Historically, the average date in which navigation is open occurs during the third week of March.
Ice measurements are typically completed weekly until the first tow arrives.
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