LAKE CITY, Minn. — The ice pack on Lake Pepin is thicker than average at 22 inches — far too solid to start 2026 barge commerce. The Army Corps, which controls Mississippi River shipping, said its first boring for spring was at River Mile 770. That’s midway between Lake City on the Minnesota side and Pepin on the Wisconsin side. The Corps usually does weekly borings, but, not anticipating a significant thaw, the next boring has been put off until to March 3.
