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Mississippi River Shipping Routes Under Threat

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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.

This segment aired on January 9, 2013.

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