Putting the mighty back into the Mississippi: River levels rise

The Mississippi River and its tributaries could be back
to normal by this spring. (Photo by Chip Flory, Farm Journal)

After months of drought and barge congestion, "The shipping crisis on the Mississippi River might finally be ending," reports Michelle Rook of Farm Journal. "Since last July, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been dredging the river 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ease shipping backups. With improved snowpack in areas such as Montana and precipitation through the midsection of the country late last fall and this winter, the Mississippi River and its tributaries could be back to normal by this spring."

The needle is moving in the right direction. “When you look at the river gauges for points such as Memphis, Tenn., and St. Louis, Mo., we’re seeing water levels equal to or at least comparable to this time last year,” Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition told Rook. "So, we’ve seen about a 20-foot swing in river levels since last fall, which is really meaningful."

The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports, "In 2020, the river carried more than half of the 165.5 million tons that moved between 12 states." With that amount of traffic, "Steenhoek says it takes time for barge and river traffic to resume normal levels," Rook reports."Steenhoek says barge freight rates have also eased in the past year. In early February, the Department of Agriculture reports the barge rate for a shipment originating in St. Louis was $18.55 per ton. That is 26% less than a year ago. Last October, freight rates for St. Louis cargo hit $105.85."

The Mississippi shipping crisis reignited a push for the U.S. to add transportation flexibility through fortification of rail systems, which also struggled to meet demand during the drought.