Metro Miss. River locks closed to rec boats
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has closed three Mississippi River locks in the Twin Cities to recreational boats because of high water.
The corps closes the locks when the river is flowing at more than 30,000 cubic feet per second.
• See a map of stream gauges in the Twin Cities
Lockmaster Mike DeRusha said that's like 30,000 basketballs going over St. Anthony Falls every second. He said this is the second time this season the locks have been closed to small boats.
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"It's all dependent on precipitation," DeRusha said. "All the rain we've had has only one direction to go, and that's down the Mississippi River."
DeRusha said it will likely be next Tuesday before the locks can be opened again. Recreational boaters can still put in between the locks, but DeRusha urges caution.
"You can get yourself in trouble real quick if you're not prepared," he said.
About 4,000 small craft use the locks every year.
The closed locks are Lock and Dam #1, known as the Ford dam and the Upper and Lower St. Anthony Falls locks.