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  • Mississippi River and Illinois Waterway Visitor Centers Closed Temporarily for Employee Training

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, announces the Mississippi River Visitor Center at Locks and Dam 15 in Rock Island, Illinois and the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center at Starved Rock Lock and Dam in Ottawa, Illinois, will be closed March 3-4. The closure is needed to facilitate annual training for all visitor center staff. Both facilities will reopen to the public Thursday, March 5, for normal operational hours.

  • USACE Rock Island District Announces Volunteer Opportunities for 2026 Recreation Season

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District is looking for volunteers to serve at its recreation areas for the 2026 season. Opportunities exist in Iowa at Saylorville Lake near Des Moines, Lake Red Rock near Pella, Coralville Lake near Iowa City, and at the Farmdale Reservoir in Peoria, Illinois. Opportunities can also be found in Iowa and Illinois at recreation areas and visitor centers along the Mississippi River and Illinois Waterway.

  • Illinois Waterway Visitor Center to Host “Submarines Down the River” Lecture

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, announces the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center at Starved Rock Lock and Dam in Ottawa, Illinois, will host “Submarines Down the River” on January 4 at 1 p.m.

  • Illinois Waterway Visitor Center to Close for Holidays

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, announces the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center at Starved Rock Lock and Dam in Ottawa, Illinois, will be closed December 24-26 and January 1, for federal holidays. Public access to the facility and parking lot will be unavailable during the closures.

  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Seeks Public Input for Mississippi & Illinois River Habitat Restoration

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in collaboration with state and federal partners, announces the launch of the Mississippi & Illinois River Experience Tool, a new initiative to gather public input to inform future restoration efforts under the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP).

  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Encourages Safe Boating Practices on Illinois Waterway

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, issues a reminder to all recreational boaters regarding the restricted use of mooring cells along the Illinois Waterway. These large, circular concrete structures, located near each lock and dam, are essential for commercial navigation and are not intended for recreational activities.

  • Army Corps of Engineers waives day use fees at recreation areas in observance of Army Corps of Engineers’ Birthday and Juneteenth Celebration

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced today that it will waive day use fees at its more than 2,600 USACE-operated recreation areas nationwide in observance of the USACE birthday, June 16, and Juneteenth National Independence Day, June 19.

  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Nationwide Recreation Operational Status Website Launched

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has launched its Recreation Operational Status website to keep the public informed about the operational status of USACE recreation areas nationwide.

  • Temporary Art Exhibit on Display at Illinois Waterway Visitor Center

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, is hosting a temporary art exhibit at the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center located at 950 N. 27th Road in Ottawa, Illinois, now through June 1. The exhibit is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is free to the public. Reversing Course: The Illinois River in 1900 and Today compares black-and-white photos from 1894 to 1928 with color photographs created by Watershed Cairns® artists Libby Reuter and Joshua Rowan from 2018 to 2022. Historic and contemporary maps pinpoint the locations of the photos at eleven sites along the Illinois River. Labels placed between the paired images help to highlight the economic and ecological changes along the river over the past 120 years.

  • Starved Rock Eagle Watch Weekend Scheduled for Jan. 25-26

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, in partnership with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Starved Rock State Park, LaSalle County Tourism, Heritage Corridor Destinations, Starved Rock Lodge and Village of North Utica are hosting Eagle Watch Weekend, Saturday, January 25 and Sunday, January 26.