As the Mississippi River’s water level threatens to reach a historic low, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) recently joined U.S. Representative Bill Enyart (D-IL-12) and leaders from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Coast Guard to view firsthand the work underway to remove rock pinnacles which threaten navigation on the river.
“ As goes the Mississippi, so goes much of the industry in Illinois ,” Durbin said. “ Between this summer’s drought and the current upstream freezing, Mother Nature has dealt us a difficult hand when it comes to keeping the river open to shippers transporting goods to market. I wanted to come to Thebes to get an up-close look at some of the most important work underway to keep the Mississippi open. The White House is monitoring this situation carefully and briefing me weekly on the issue as we work to maintain navigation on the river .”
Emergency dredging and excavation work will keep the river navigable for most towboats, Corps of Engineers officials said. The Mississippi River has dropped to about half its normal level for early January, according to data from the Corps.
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Dredging Today Staff, April 30, 2013