PHOTO: Keeping the Mississippi River open

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District’s dredge master, Brian Krause, snapped this amazing photo yesterday afternoon near LaGrange, Mo., where the Dredge Goetz and her crew are removing approximately 45,000 cubic yards of material from the Mississippi River, keeping it open and ensuring commerce can continue to pass.

On average, Goetz dredges 1.2 million cubic yards of material every year, operating in St. Paul, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District and St. Louis District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers districts.

Sedimentation in the channel is caused by the normal cycle of silt movement, erosion from high water or heavy rains and changes in river currents.

To maintain the 9-foot channel, this material must be removed.

The dredged material is used for upland habitat development, wetland creation, aquatic habitat enhancement, beach nourishment, winter road maintenance, levee repair and general-purpose fill.