The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, will offer two free open houses to tour the motor vessel, Mississippi.
The events will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, at River Heritage Park in downtown Davenport, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 13, at the Mississippi Riverwalk at the Port of Dubuque, Dubuque, Iowa.
The vessel will be in the region this weekend as part of the Mississippi River Commission’s Low Water Inspection trip, according to a news release. The open houses will include information about the importance of the Mississippi River System and the many uses and users along the waterway.
The Mississippi is a 241-foot-long towboat that is 58 feet wide and features three diesel engines that provide it with 6,300 horsepower. It serves as a working towboat about 90% of the time. Its primary mission is to move barges in support of bank stabilization work on the lower Mississippi River, according to the release.
Each spring and late summer, the Mississippi River Commission hosts public meetings onboard the vessel. The MRC flagship boat can accommodate 152 people, including 117 passengers and 35 crew members, the release states. It houses 43 staterooms, allowing 86 overnight passengers and crew. The boat also has a dining room that seats 90 people, as well as a conference room that seats 117.
Established in 1879, the MRC uses the motor vessel Mississippi for public hearings, which is unique to the MRC and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This allows the public a greater voice in shaping federal policy through discussing concerns with the professionals who are responsible for improving the condition of the river, fostering navigation, promoting commerce, and reducing flood risk along the watershed, the release states.
For more information, contact the Rock Island District at (309) 794-5729 or visit the motor vessel Mississippi’s website.
