Melissa's Amusings: March 2016

A while back, Tami contacted me to see if I wanted to meet her and see the Melvin Price Locks and Dam (L&D). I thought it sounded a tad boring but figured it would be nice to visit her and Lillian. Also, it was a beautiful Fall day for a road trip. Well I was wrong, the L&D were pretty cool along with the National Great Rivers Museum right next to it. So much so, that I had Jim, Justin, and Geoffrey go on another day trip there :-) This blog combines the 2 trips.


Looks a tad boring-located at mile 200.78 of the Upper Mississippi River.

Tami, Lillian, and I did have a nice visit as we car pooled to the L&D.

Resting up for the adventure.

Outside the museum is a large water feature depicting waterfalls, meanders, and oxbows of a river. During the summer this area may be filled with kids cooling off while playing and supposedly learning more about a river.

This was Lillian's 'carrot'. If she was good in the museum, she could play here afterwards.

Inside the museum are displays and exhibits showing the cultural significance, ecological importance, and the role of transportation of the Mississippi River.

The lure of the Mississippi

Views and ecosystem along the Bluffs

The US Army Corps of Engineers balance the economic impact of maintaining L&D with the health of the nearby ecosystem.

They work to protect nearby wetlands; future birding trips for me :-)

If you're lucky, you may be invited to go behind the desk to see the red-eared slider up close!!

Display to show purpose and function of dikes (?)

The Mississippi has a long history of being a transportation route. In the earlier years, navigating through it was quite tricky; there were rapids, areas that were deep and turbulent, or too shallow. Unseen under the water were the dangers of boulders, sandbars, and tree snags. Many steamers were lost in the 19th century due to the hazardous navigating conditions. The federal Government started getting involved in the 1930's and authorized the '9 foot channel project' on ( A stairway of water by a system of L&D) to be made. A series of slack water pools 9' deep and 400' wide were created along the 670 mile stretch of the Upper Mississippi with a fall of about 420' from the 1st L&D to the 27th near St. Louis.

Geoffrey learning the mechanics of and how L&D make river traffic possible.

Model replica of Horatio G. Wright snag boat, built in 1880. Cleared the rivers of snags, ie-fallen trees, sunken ships.

A very popular interactive exhibit was the steering of a barge under the Eads Bridge. No one was successful!!!

Concentrating hard !

Starting off with a light touch.

Getting serious now :-)

Concentrating!!

Outside the museum we gather for one of their free tours of and on top of the dam.

The river must be meandering here....if the N is pointed in the right direction :-)

The L&D are not for flood control; the US Army Corps of Engineers/Rock Island district has a lengthy explanation on their website of why it is not practical.

Here we are on top of the Dam, 80' above the river.

Clark's Bridge seen in the distance.

We were lucky and got to see a barge and tugboat go thru the L&D! The inside simulators were not kidding when they indicated how precise steering needed to be, only inches to spare on each side!!!!

Around 75 million tons of goods a year move through these locks.

Waiting to be at the correct level.

Now, for Pooh fans; this is the adult version of 'Pooh Sticks'. Everyone is lining up to see the start of the barge's/tugboat's movement on one side of the bridge!

You can almost feel everyone's excitement!

The gate opens and movement begins.

Time to run to the other side to see it emerge.

Very enjoyable to view it's progress.

Time to go to the other side to see what will still be coming.

The tugboat is the last 'Pooh stick' to watch as it goes under....

and emerges on the other side :-)

Our guide had a hard time keeping on schedule; everyone enjoyed the scenery , 'Pooh sticks', and didn't want to leave until the barge disappeared.

Lillian's favorite part was after the museum, she got to play in the water. But first, a water safety lecture from Grammi Tami.

And off she goes!!

At first staying in the shallower area and close by.

But then she is on the move.....

and so is Grammi Tami, her shoes and camera are still on,though!!

The river bottom starts sloping down and is slippery!

Grammi's shoes and camera are now off, and Lillian still has no idea why she had a water safety talk.

After slipping and bobbing for a few seconds before Grammi scoops her up and saves her, there is a slight chance she may remember the water safety rules :-)