Posted on March 15, 2023
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley District, recently awarded the Corps’ St. Paul District Small Boat Instructor Team its 2023 Water Safety Award for the work they have done teaming up with local emergency management services to conduct water rescue near locks and dams.
The purpose of the water rescue training is to highlight roles and responsibilities of each organization during emergencies at a Corps lock and dam, explain restricted areas near the Corps’ facilities and gain an understanding of how flow conditions create hazards at the dam.
“I’m incredibly proud of our team and the hard work that we are doing. Safety is always our number one priority,” said Joel Herman, Lock and Dam 6 working supervisor and instructor for the small boat operator course.
Boats on the Mississippi River are restricted 600 feet upstream of the dam and 150 feet downstream of the dam. These restricted areas are marked off with buoys and signage on the shore or lock walls. Not obeying these signs can lead to loss of property and loss of life. Remember to always wear a life jacket in, on or around water.
The St. Paul District’s navigation program provides a safe, reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable waterborne transportation system on the Upper Mississippi River for the movement of commercial goods and for national security needs.
