ST. PAUL, Minn. - Three Twin Cities locks will close to recreational boats Friday morning due to increasing high water flows in the Mississippi River.
The locks will close at 10 a.m.: It will mark the second time this year the locks have closed due to high, fast water caused by excessive rain.
The locks were closed May 28 to recreational traffic because of unsafe conditions and were reopened June 8. Based on the National Weather Service forecast, the Corps anticipates closing the locks to commercial traffic sometime this weekend.
The Upper St. Anthony Falls and Lower St. Anthony Falls lock and dams in downtown Minneapolis, and Lock and Dam 1, next to Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis, close to recreational traffic when flows pass 30,000 cubic feet per second (CFS).
Commercial traffic is closed when flows exceed 40,000 CFS.
Based on National Weather Service forecasts, it could be a week or longer before flows are below 30,000 CFS and the upper three locks are once again open to recreational traffic.
(Copyright 2012 by KARE. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. )