Low water conditions have led to several barges running aground along a key stretch of the lower Mississippi River, the U.S. Coast Guard told Reuters. The Coast Guard said in an email it has received reports and responded to several groundings over the last week along the Greenville-Vicksburg sections of the lower Mississippi River. American Commercial Barge Line warned that customers should expect one- to two-day delays for river shipments “due to reduced navigable space in certain areas,” the company said. The water level at Memphis is lower than it was last year: It is forecast to drop to -7.5 feet by Sept. 18, NOAA data shows. Rates for barges coming from the St. Louis, Missouri, area were 65% higher in late August than the three-year average, according to Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition, and USDA data.
Low Waters on Lower Mississippi River Impacting Barge Traffic
Low water conditions have led to several barges running aground along a key stretch of the lower Mississippi River, the U.S. Coast Guard told Reuters.
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