Back to Civilization

Getting back into civilization has its advantages. Aaron and Jake were asked by a man standing on his dock where they were headed. It turns out this man had also canoed the entire Mississippi River. He invited them into his house as a severe storm crashed down. They enjoyed a dry shelter, pizza, beer and swapped stories with their new friend.

Aaron and Jake traveled 40 miles yesterday stopping at mile marker 865 just past the Coon Rapids Dam.  This was the last dam they will have to portage as they enter into the lock and dam system today. To achieve a 9-foot channel in the Upper Mississippi River, the construction of a system of navigation locks and dams was authorized in 1930. Dams are built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to hold back water and form deeper navigation "pools." Most pools in the United States are maintained at a constant minimum water depth of 9 feet for safe navigation. Dams allow river vessels to use a series of locks to "step" up or down the river from one water level to another.  The St. Paul District operates and maintains 13 locks and dams beginning at Upper St. Anthony Falls in downtown Minneapolis and ending at lock and dam 10 in Guttenberg, Iowa.

Today Aaron and Jake will go through downtown Minneapolis including the first few locks. 

The Minnesota DNR maps have all been navigated by Aaron and Jake, from this point forward I will link detailed maps provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Posted by Aaron's dad