Lock and Dam 26

Lock and Dam 26 also known as Melvin Price Lock and Dam is vital to midwestern agriculture. It is the second to last of a series of locks and dams starting in St. Pail MN. The locks and dams are used to maintain a 9 foot deep navigation channel on the river. It is a myth that they have any effect on flood control. Some of the lakes on tributary channels do hold back flood water.

These locks and dams are vital to agriculture because a huge amount of the grain exported goes through them. 26 and 27 have 1200 foot lock chambers that allows a full upper river tow to move through without being broken down. Most of the locks have only a 600 foot chamber and tows have to be divided to move through. Dividing them slows the locking process down. Barge transportation is considerable cheaper than rail or truck and helps keep our crops competitive in foreign markets. The Corps of Engineers is planning to some day replace the older locks and dams installed in the 1930's with new ones similar to 26.