Mississippi
Here’s how the locks and dams on the Mississippi River work, and why they exist
Get on a boat on the upper Mississippi River, and you’ll eventually come upon a looming concrete structure stretching across the river’s main channel.
It’s called a lock and dam, and it’s a distinct feature of the upper river. The construction of locks and dams, a major feat of engineering that occurred largely during the Great Depression, has transformed how the Mississippi River runs.
What are these locks and dams for? How do they work, who controls them, and what changes have they made to the river ecosystem?
Here’s what you should know.
Why are there locks and dams on the Mississippi River? How do they work?
Prior to the installment of the locks and dams, the upper Mississippi River was free-flowing, regularly cutting new paths — and sometimes it was so shallow that people could wade across it. The locks and dams were put in place so that boats hauling freight up and down the upper river could have easier passage.
In 1930, Congress approved a project that would ultimately create the current system: The upper river is divided into sections called pools, where a fixed amount of river is held back by a dam. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers controls how much water is in a pool at a given time. Each pool must be at least nine feet deep to allow towboats hauling barges to move through.
The construction of the locks and dams provided work for thousands of people along the upper river during the Great Depression. River towns grew in population as temporary workers moved in. An oral history project from the 1980s notes that in Genoa, Wis., near Lock and Dam 8, “Business boomed, particularly taverns,” and “Anyone having a room in a home had no trouble renting it.”
Between the headwaters in northern Minnesota and St. Louis, the river falls about 420 feet in elevation. When a boat enters a lock, the lock acts like an elevator, bringing the boat up or down to the water level of the next pool. You can also picture it like a staircase of water that boats and barges climb and descend.
Do the locks and dams control flooding on the river?
The locks and dams don’t provide flood control. Downstream from Wisconsin, there are levees meant to constrain the river away from communities and high-production farmland.
How many locks and dams are there?
There are 29 locks and dams on the upper river.
The first lock and dam structure, at Upper St. Anthony Falls in Minneapolis, has been closed to barge traffic since 2015. The Army Corps is currently considering the removal of the next two structures, Lower St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam and Lock and Dam 1, between Minneapolis and St. Paul, to return the river to its free-flowing past in the Twin Cities.
The southernmost lock and dam is near Granite City, Illinois, north of St. Louis.
Who operates them?
The Army Corps operates the locks and dams.
Why doesn’t the lower Mississippi have locks and dams?
The lower river, which stretches south from Cairo, Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico, does not have locks and dams. As major rivers like the Missouri and the Ohio join up with the Mississippi, the channel becomes deep and wide enough to naturally accommodate shipping.
Are the locks and dams in good condition?
When the locks and dams were constructed, mostly between 1930 and 1940, engineers estimated their life span to be about 50 years.
The Army Corps makes routine repairs to the structures, many of which still have original parts that are now around 90 years old. This winter, for example, they’ll drain the water out of Lock and Dam 2 near Hastings, Minnesota, to make repairs to its concrete. But the Corps reports that there’s an estimated billion-dollar maintenance backlog — and officials acknowledge that making fixes here and there may not be enough.
“At some point, we’re going to need some major rehabilitation of these structures,” Kristin Moe, navigation business line manager for the Army Corps’ St. Paul District, told the Journal Sentinel earlier this year.
Groups that represent the shipping industry contend that instead of making repairs to existing locks, the Army Corps should be constructing new ones that have a 1,200-foot chamber to more efficiently accommodate larger groups of barges than the current chambers, which are 600 feet long.
How have the locks and dams affected the river ecosystem?
Converting the free-flowing river into a series of pools has changed its natural habitats and processes. Because the dams caused more water to fill into the flood plain permanently, forest cover decreased and became fragmented, according to a 2022 study on the ecological status of the upper Mississippi.
Islands have shrunk or disappeared, attributed to wind and wave erosion across the pools, and backwater areas off the main channel have filled in with sediment, making them less hospitable to fish. Consistent high water levels have made it more difficult for some types of aquatic vegetation to survive.
In the decades since the locks and dams were constructed, the Army Corps has completed projects to try to address some of these consequences and revitalize habitat for fish and wildlife, including building new islands and dredging backwaters to restore their depth.
This story is a product of the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk, an independent reporting network based at the University of Missouri in partnership with Report for America, with major funding from the Walton Family Foundation.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
STARKVILLE — Mississippi State baseball starting pitcher Ryan McPherson exited his May 9 return against Auburn with an ankle injury, according to coach Brian O’Connor.
McPherson tripped behind home plate while backing up a potential throw in the second inning and limped back to the mound. The MSU coaches and trainer examined McPherson before pulling him.
McPherson was making his first start since March 20 after suffering a forearm strain.
The No. 11 Bulldogs (38-14, 15-12 SEC) trailed the No. 6 Tigers (35-15, 16-11) by one run with one out in the inning before getting run-ruled 13-2 in seven innings at Dudy Noble Field.
McPherson threw 34 pitches in 1⅓ innings with one earned and one unearned run allowed, two hits, no walks and no strikeouts.
He did not throw a practice pitch while being examined, and he didn’t limp as he walked into the dugout, either.
Ryan McPherson injury update from Brian O’Connor
O’Connor revealed after the game that McPherson was on a 40-pitch limit, so he was likely going to get pulled soon anyway.
“I would hate for the young man to have a setback because he goes out there and tries to throw to another batter or two and changes this delivery because of an ankle (injury),” O’Connor said. “So that’s what went into that decision. It’s unfortunate, but it was good to get him back out there.”
McPherson, a sophomore, missed six straight starts with his forearm injury. He took Charlie Foster’s spot in the pitching rotation for the Auburn series.
One series remains at Texas A&M before the SEC Tournament.
“We’ll see how he recovers from this and then to see what his availability will be for next weekend,” O’Connor said.
Ryan McPherson stats
McPherson was charged with the loss, dropping his record to 3-1 with a 2.62 ERA.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
The No. 6 Auburn Tigers have evened the series with No. 11 Mississippi State thanks to a timely home run in the 9th inning.
Auburn catcher Chase Fralick stepped into the batter’s box to lead off the final inning of a tie game, needing to get on base to give his team a chance to steal a win in Starkville. He answered the call by smashing a home run over the right field wall to push his team ahead. His defense, as well as relief pitcher Jackson Sanders, followed the clutch long ball by piecing together a perfect bottom frame to solidify a 5-4 Auburn win over Mississippi State on Friday at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville, Mississippi, to even the series between the pair of top-five SEC squads.
Fralick’s solo home run in the 9th was an answer to Mississippi State’s game-tying single in the 8th inning off the bat of Ace Reese. Reese hit a single to right field and used deception by forcing himself into a rundown, which allowed Kevin Milewsky to score from 3rd base and to erase Auburn’s lead that was once 4-0.
There were plenty of surprising and notable moments from Auburn baseball’s win over Mississippi State on Friday. Re-live those key moments by checking out score updates, highlights, and notes from the game below.
- Mason McCraine (3-for-5, 2 K)
- Eric Guevara (0-for-3, BB, 2 K)
- Chase Fralick (1-for-4, 2 RBI, HR, K)
- Chris Rembert (2-for-5, 2 RBI)
- Ethin Bingaman (2-for-5, RBI)
- Bub Terrell (1-for-4, 2B, 3 K)
- Brandon McCraine (1-for-4, 2 K)
- Cade Belyeu (0-for-3, 2 K)
- Lucas Steele (0-for-2, 2 BB, 2 K)
- Andreas Alvarez (4 2/3 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 7 K, 97 pitches (55 strikes)
- Jackson Sanders (4 1/3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 4 K, 64 pitches (37 strikes), WIN
Auburn bounces back to even the series thanks to a perfect inning by Jackson Sanders and the Auburn defense. Game three of the series is set for 3 p.m. CT on Saturday at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville.
Mississippi State in the 9th: 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB
Auburn’s prayers were quickly answered after giving up the tying run to Mississippi State in the 8th inning when Chase Fralick smashed a solo home run to right field, giving Auburn its first run since the 5th inning and putting his team in a situation to win the game in the bottom of the 9th inning.
Auburn in the 9th: 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB
We head into the final inning of the game with a 4-4 tie between the Auburn Tigers and the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Ace Reese singled through the right side and voluntarily entered a rundown to distract Auburn’s defense long enough for Kevin Milewski, who got on base by a leadoff walk, to score.
Auburn will look to regain the lead in the top frame of the 9th inning.
Mississippi State in the 8th: 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB
For the second time in the game, Auburn fails to add runs despite the first two runners of the inning reaching base. Brandon McCraine led off the inning with a single, with Cade Belyeu reaching base after getting hit by a pitch. The next three batters in Auburn’s lineup were retired via strikeout by Ben Davis, bringing his total to four on the day.
Auburn in the 8th: 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB
Auburn pitcher Jackson Sanders got off to a shaky start in the 7th inning by allowing the first two batters of the inning to reach base. He appeared to be on his way out of the jam, but Bryce Chance singled through the left side to score Ace Reese from 3rd base and to trim Auburn’s lead to one run. He eventually got out of trouble by forcing Vytas Valincius to pop out.
Mississippi State in the 7th: 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB
It was an easy inning for Mississippi State relief pitcher Ben Davis, who retired the first three batters he faced with a pair of groundouts and a strikeout of Bub Terrell.
Auburn in the 7th: 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB
Jackson Sanders held Auburn’s two-run lead in the 6th, his first full inning on the mound in relief of Andreas Alvarez. Mississippi State’s Ryder Woodson recorded a two-out single off Sanders in the frame, but a Gehrig Frei pop-out closed out the inning.
Mississippi State in the 6th: 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB
Auburn put two runners on base during the 6th inning on a Lucas Steele walk and Mason McCraine’s third hit of the game. However, Auburn’s good fortune ended with an Eric Guevara strikeout and a Chase Fralick pop out.
Auburn in the 6th: 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB
Mississippi State is now on the scoreboard following a two-out, two-run home run off the bat of Reed Stallman, which cuts Auburn’s lead to 4-2. Jackson Sanders emerged from the bullpen following the deep drive to left field and proceeded to strike out Bryce Chance to end the inning.
Alvarez’s final line: 2 R, 6 H, 2 BB, 7 K, 97 pitches (55 strikes) over 4 2/3 innings.
Mississippi State in the 5th: 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB
Chris Rembert recorded his second RBI of the game with one out in the 5th, when his groundout to shortstop allowed Mason McCraine to score and to extend Auburn’s lead to three runs. The greedy Tigers were not finished, though, as Ethin Bingaman delivered an RBI single in the next at-bat to push Auburn’s cushion to four runs.
Bingaman’s RBI closed the tab on Mississippi State starter Duke Stone, who ended his outing by allowing four runs on seven hits with two walks in 4 2/3 innings and 95 pitches. Maddox Miller relieved Stone by forcing Brandon McCraine to fly out to center field after walking Bub Terrell.
Auburn in the 5th: 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB
Mississippi State is held out of the scoring column for another inning following a fielder’s choice and a line out, with Andreas Alvarez leading off the inning by logging his fifth strikeout of the game.
Mississippi State in the 4th: 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB
The Auburn lineup logged its first extra-base hit of the game when Bub Terrell doubled on the second pitch of the inning. However, the good vibes ended there as Duke Stone struck out Brandon McCraine, Cade Belyeu, and Lucas Steele to end Auburn’s chances of increasing its lead.
Auburn in the 4th: 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB
As the old Yogi Berra quote goes, “it was deja vu all over again” for Mississippi State in the 3rd inning as Bryce Chance stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. However, unlike Thursday’s opener when he hit a 1st inning grand slam, he hit a ground ball up the middle, which resulted in a fielder’s choice that forced Reed Stallman to become the third out of the frame.
Mississippi State in the 3rd: 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB
It took Auburn a few innings to find confidence at the plate, but it struck gold in the 3rd inning when Chase Fralick popped out to center field with the bases loaded and one out to send Lucas Steele home, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead. Chris Rembert followed suit in the next at-bat by sending a single up the middle to advance everyone 90 feet, which scored Mason McCraine to extend the lead to 2-0.
We will now see if the two-run cushion will bring out the best in Andreas Alvarez on the mound.
Auburn in the 3rd: 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB
Mississippi State stranded one runner in the 2nd inning, but that was as far as they reached as Andreas Alvarez struck out Ryder Woodson to end the frame.
Alvarez is up to three strikeouts with a walk through two innings of work. He has thrown 40 pitches, with 23 of them finding the strike zone.
Mississippi State in the 2nd: 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB
The Auburn Tigers appeared to gain an edge on Mississippi State as a pair of singles by Chris Rembert and Ethin Bingaman put two runners on base. However, Duke Stone rebounded by striking out the next two batters, and a pickoff play by the Bulldogs caught Bingaman in a rundown between 1st and 2nd base, killing Auburn’s threat of putting a run on the scoreboard.
Auburn in the 2nd: 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB
Mississippi State attacked Auburn starting pitcher Andreas Alvarez early with a leadoff walk, followed by a bloop single to left center field. However, Alvarez bounced back by retiring the next three batters in order, which included two strikeouts.
Mississippi State in the 1st: 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB
It was a quiet inning for the Mississippi State Bulldogs and pitcher Duke Stone, who retired all three Auburn batters in order, which included strikeouts of Mason McCraine and Chase Fralick.
Andreas Alvarez and the Auburn defense look to return the favor in the bottom frame.
Auburn in the 1st: 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB
Alabama defeats South Carolina, 8-3, which means that the broadcast of Auburn vs Mississippi State on SEC Network will not be delayed or pushed to another network. Expect a start time of 7:30 p.m. CT.
Here’s how the Auburn Tigers will line up in game two
- RF Mason McCraine
- 3B Eric Guevara
- C Chase Fralick
- 2B Chris Rembert
- 1B Ethin Bingaman
- LF Bub Terrell
- SS Brandon McCraine
- CF Cade Belyeu
- DH Lucas Steele
The bottom of the lineup will look different for the Tigers on Friday night, as Cade Belyeu gets the start in center field over Bristol Carter, and Lucas Steele assumes his familiar role at designated hitter over Eddie Madrigal.
After experiencing a flat night offensively in game one, it appears that Butch Thompson is looking for a spark in the center field slot for game two of the series. Carter has logged just two hits over his last five games and has gone 0-5 in his last three games. Steele has been used sparingly in the Auburn lineup over the last few weeks, playing in just three SEC games since April 17.
Auburn vs Mississippi State pitching matchup for game two
- Auburn: SO RHP Andreas Alvarez (8-2, 2.56)
- Mississippi State: SO RHP Duke Stone (6-1, 4.40)
Auburn baseball vs Mississippi State time today
- Date: Friday, May 8
- Start time: 7:30 p.m. CT
What channel is Auburn vs Mississippi State on today?
- TV Channel: SEC Network
- Livestream: Fubo (free trial)
Auburn vs Mississippi State will be broadcast on SEC Network on Friday from Dudy Noble Field in Starkville. Tom Hart and Kyle Peterson will have the call from the booth. Streaming options include Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__
MISSISSIPPI. (WLBT) – Diesel prices climbed this week across Mississippi and the nation, leaving truck drivers uncertain about their ability to continue hauling freight.
Lemone Guice said seeing diesel prices at the pumps was concerning.
“It’s rough right now with the economy. We don’t know how it’s going to be with it being up and down,” Guice said.
Guice and fellow truck driver Ronnie Tran said they don’t know how long their fuel will last.
“If it keeps going like this, I don’t think we can survive,” Tran said.
Tran said his fill-up costs have doubled.
“My normal fill-up: usually around $600 to $700. Now, you’re talking about a thousand to $1,200, so it’s, like, double,” Tran said.
King Gaulden said the situation has been difficult.
“Man, it’s been ridiculous. Ever since Trump said the gas prices would go down, they have been going up. We’re just trying to figure it out. It’s been hard out here, man,” Gaulden said.
According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of gas is $4.54. That’s the highest since the summer of 2022.
Guice said the spike is affecting decisions about whether to transport loads.
“For those of us that freight slows up, yes. You just don’t want to be just getting somewhere sitting and fuel you know… you don’t know whether you’re going to have a half of a tank or a quarter of tank. That isn’t good,” Guice said.
In Mississippi, the average price stands at $4.00, up more than 28 cents from last week.
Tran said his wish is simple.
“I wish the price would go back to $2 and something. Right now, it’s $4 and something. I wish it can go down to two or three something. That would be nice,” Tran said.
Mississippi still ranks among the states with the lowest gas prices.
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