90.9 WBUR - Boston's NPR news station
Top Stories:
Listen News Programs Schedule
PLEDGE NOW
Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Mississippi River Shipping Routes Under Threat

Barges passing in tight quarters due to low water levels as they navigate the Mississippi River near St. Louis in December 2012. (Colby Buchanan/United States Coast Guard/AP)

Barges passing in tight quarters due to low water levels as they navigate the Mississippi River near St. Louis in December 2012. (Colby Buchanan/United States Coast Guard/AP)

The worst drought in decades is raising concerns that parts of the Mississippi River could be closed to shipping at some point.

This despite emergency dredging and rock removal by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

If the river is closed, shippers would be forced to use more expensive railroads to get their good where they need to go.

Guest:

  • Tim Enos of American Commercial Lines, which operates thousands of barges and more than 200 tug boats on the nation’s rivers.
Other stories from Wednesday's show

We welcome comments from all of our listeners. Post below. Please stay on topic and be civil. Comments may be moderated by us, but you are solely responsible for the content of your comments.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003000884786 Navin R Johnson

     Waiting for the obligatory global warming climate change comment in  3.. 2… 1…

  • Eugene Lawrence

    First of all those towns name in Illinois are not ARABIC, Arabs are not responsible for the dynasties of ancient KIMET (Eygypt,GREEK) this is AFRICA not the midddle east. The Arabs who inhabit North Africa today were part of a hoard who conquered the indigenous people of that land(africans). Most of the Arabs there now come from Turkey and other Arab nations.

  • It

    When is Chris Christy going to go on the war path about why billions aren’t being spent on this natural disaster? We knew about this one long before Sandy.

  • Mtoldman33

    While this year’s low water is extreme, it is not the first year that flows have been reduced. Why have the barge operators continued to use the largest possible vessels and expect that the rest of the nation will bend over and provide all the water that they wish even to our own detriment. Downsize the barges to meet the conditions.

    • Flanker12

      You don’t get it and I highly suspect you never will.  You can’t downsize a barge.  All you can do is simply reduce the amount of product you put in the barge.  Keep doing that and you end up spending more to actually move the barges than you can msaking any kind of profit from it.  I invite you to go to any of the industry websites where you can get a good idea of just how the whole system works.

With Sponsorship from:
Accelerating the pace of engineering and science
Popular Stories
  1. The Science Of Where We Stand In Elevators
  2. The Interview Behind ‘I Drive Your Truck’
  3. Scientists Discover Protein That Reverses Heart Disease In Older Mice
  4. A Father’s Memorial Day Labor Of Love
  5. Star Trek Creator’s Son Gives Fans New Way To Geek Out
H&N Favorites
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Morehouse College President Talks Controversies, Challenges
Dr. John S. Wilson, Jr. is president of Morehouse College in Atlanta. (Morehouse College)

President Obama delivers the commencement address this weekend at Morehouse College, the all-male historically black college. The school’s president discusses recent controversies and challenges.

1 Comment | more »
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Jails Become De Facto Psychiatric Wards
Mark with Houston at Houston's high school graduation in 2009. (Courtesy of Mac McClelland)

Failures in mental health care mean that often the only way to get help for a loved one is to call the police. We speak with a journalist about the tragic consequences for her family.

19 Comments | more »
Thursday, May 16, 2013
‘Here & Now’ Interview Inspires Hit Country Song
"I Drive Your Truck" screenshot.

In 2011, a Nashville songwriter heard Alex Ashlock’s interview with Paul Monti, who lost his son in Afghanistan. It inspired her to write “I Drive Your Truck.”

Comment | more »
From Twitter