mississippi river

Mississippi River crests at some hard-hit towns

Associated Press — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:54:38 +0000

The Mississippi River is on the way down at some hard-hit Midwestern towns.

Congressmen aim to improve river management during droughts and floods

St. Louis Public Radio — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 21:57:48 +0000

Two freshman Congressmen from southern Illinois want the Army Corps of Engineers to start thinking of ways it can coordinate river management to keep cargo traffic flowing during droughts or floods.

Wal-mart and the local farmer; Mississippi River and barge business

Kristofor Husted — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 22:58:17 +0000

The lingering drought continues to keep the Mississippi River at historically low levels. But now the Army Corps of Engineers says the river will likely stay open for transportation at least through this month. But many grain and energy industries that send products up and down the river aren’t yet breathing a sigh of relief. Iowa Public Radio’s Clay Masters reports from the Corn Belt where a lot of grain begin its journey south down the Mississippi.

Low water, high anxiety on the Mississippi

Tim Lloyd — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 14:49:02 +0000

It seems like we’re constantly hearing about how the worst drought in decades is threatening barge shipping on the Mississippi River.

One day we’re facing a shutdown, the next day they say commerce will keep rolling on the river.

Here’s the latest: The Army Corp of Engineers says it’s done enough work to keep the waterway open until the end of this month.

After that, though, no one is making any promises, and that uncertainty is giving the shipping industry a lingering headache and could end up with local companies cutting jobs.

Newscast for December 28, 2012

Kristofor Husted — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 23:40:41 +0000

Regional news from the KBIA newsroom, including:

Low levels of the Mississippi River to affect commerce
Gov. Nixon aims to make government more efficient
Elected teacher battles school board for leave of absence

Mississippi River's low levels could affect commerce

Adam Allington — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 23:27:51 +0000

The Mississippi River's water level is dropping again and barge industry trade groups warn that river commerce could essentially come to a halt by mid-January. Ice on the northern section of the Mississippi is reducing flow more than expected.

The Coast Guard remains confident that the nation's largest waterway will remain open despite the worst drought in decades.

But even if the Mississippi remains technically open, Deborah Colbert of the Waterways Council, a barge industry trade group, says further load limits will make shipping unviable by mid-January.

Phase 1 of Birds Point levee restoration complete

Associated Press — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 14:32:05 +0000

The first phase of restoration work has been completed on a Mississippi River levee that was intentionally breached in 2011 during record flooding.

Army Corps adding water to Mississippi River to aid barge traffic

Associated Press — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 14:28:41 +0000

Amid strong concerns about the declining level of the already low Mississippi River, the Army Corps of Engineers is releasing water from an Illinois lake to add to the flow of the Mississippi.

Army Corps to blow up rock outcrops in Mississippi River

Jacob McCleland — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 16:55:29 +0000

Blunt may seek emergency declaration for river

Associated Press — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 21:20:04 +0000

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri may seek a presidential emergency declaration in an effort to keep barges moving on the drought-riddled Mississippi River.