Iceless Lake Pepin awaits barge traffic

Unseasonably warm and dry weather has 2010 shaping up to be a promising year for farmers to get an early jump on grain loading.

But a halt on Mississippi River traffic caused by repairs at a St. Louis lock could be undercutting those hopes for area farmers.

"It's delayed the whole loading process," said Red Wing Grain manager Jim Larson, calling it an "unfortunate situation" for area farmers used to loading in March.

Repairs at Lock & Dam No. 25 mean barges won't begin passing through there until April 4, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesman Mark Davidson said.

The project will mean the second late start on the Upper Mississippi in three years.

The record for latest opening date of navigation was set April 10, 2008. Unusually cold weather kept Lake Pepin ice thicker than normal and pushed the first tow more than two weeks past the average opening-navigational date of March 20.

Last year's first tow cleared Lake Pepin on March 23.

Corps officials said Lake Pepin is open and won't present any problems this year. Davidson also added that it could be possible for barges north of St. Louis to head upriver prior to April 4.

Still, Larson said the first barges coming up will be full and will require a return trip from St. Paul before they are ready for loading in Red Wing. He expected to begin loading between April 12 and 16.

Tags: local news, red wing, mississippi river, lake pepin, news