Low Mississippi River levels leave Tri-State boaters and marinas navigating shallow waters

Low Mississippi River levels leave Tri-State boaters and marinas navigating shallow waters

DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) - Unusually dry conditions across the Upper Midwest have left the Mississippi River running well below normal depths, creating major challenges for residents and local marina operators heading into Labor Day weekend.

According to data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, water levels outside Dubuque dropped to 6.8 feet late last week—among the lowest marks recorded at the gauge since 2007. August river levels have hovered near a 7.4-foot average, significantly below the 20-year typical August average of nearly 9 feet.

The shallow conditions are forcing local riverfront businesses to make costly operational changes to protect customer vessels.

At Dubuque Marina and Yardarm, shallow water led crews to pull “A-Dock” completely out of the river earlier this month to prevent boats from grounding. In a recent social media post highlighting the removal, marina management noted that dropping water levels have created a difficult financial pattern, pointing out that having to dredge repeatedly over the past decade while losing dock capacity has strained local operations.

While independent marina operators look ahead to private fall dredging to maintain access into their slips, federal crews continue working to maintain the commercial nine-foot navigation channel along the main stem of the river.

Members of the public will soon get a behind-the-scenes look at how the region’s river infrastructure manages water flow and commercial traffic. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District is hosting two public open houses on Saturday, Sept. 26, in Guttenberg and Lynxville, WI.

Both events are free to the public and will feature water safety displays and staff presentations on river navigation management.

Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.