Posted on May 8, 2024
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, awarded a $31.7 million contract to LS Marine, Inc., of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, to conduct mechanical dredging operations in support of channel maintenance within the Mississippi River, April 17.
This work will facilitate long-term channel maintenance dredging and placement of dredged material, or river sand, for the Upper Mississippi River System 9-foot navigation channel. Dredging will include parts of the Upper Mississippi River, the Minnesota River, the St. Croix River and the Black River within the St. Paul District. Additional dredging of the Upper Mississippi River in the Rock Island District may also be covered.
The contract provides a minimum guarantee of $1.25 million for two mechanical dredging plants through the end of the 2024 navigation season, with rights to exercise work options through 2029. The four additional years of maintenance dredging ensure the navigation channel remains open for the foreseeable future.
“Dredge operations are critical in ensuring the 9-foot navigation channel remains open for the nearly 14 million tons of commodities that pass through our locks and dams over a 10-year average,” said Nick Castellane, project manager. “The options on the contract allow us to get to work quickly if we see similar conditions in coming years.”
Work is anticipated to begin after plant mobilization in the coming weeks.
The St. Paul District maintains a 9-foot-deep navigation channel on the Upper Mississippi River and operates 12 locks and dams to support navigation from Minneapolis to Guttenberg, Iowa. Keeping this system open is vital to the nation’s economy to reduce the stress on our roads and bridges. A 15-barge tow can move as much bulk commodities as 1,050 semis or more than 200 rail cars.
