Mississippi River progressively returning to service
as river highway system
Ingram Barge Line's down bound Motor Vessel Bruce Birmingham locks through Lock 24 at Clarksville on July 7, 2008. Although much of the flood fighting materials are still set up, note the HESCO Bastions at left, the lock was still able to open to navigation on Thursday, July 3.
|
St. Louis, July 7, 2008 – The Mississippi River navigation system of locks and dams was fully reopened over the Independence Day holiday weekend as the Midwestern flood of June 2008 slowly ebbed to the south.
As of Monday, July 7, the U.S. Coast Guard had opened the St. Louis Harbor to commercial vessels. A safety zone remains in effect between mile marker 179 (just south of the Arch) northward to mile 184 (at the southern end of the Chain of Rocks Canal near Locks 27.) Southbound tows greater than 600 feet long are limited in that stretch to daylight hours only.
Due to high water, the Mississippi River remains closed to recreation vessels between the Jefferson Barracks Bridge at river mile 168.7 and Lock and Dam 22 at Saverton, Mo, at mile 301.2.
The Illinois River remains closed to recreation vessels from mile 0 to mile 24 and the Kaskaskia River remains closed to recreation vessels from mile 0 to mile 21.
On the Mississippi, the recreation vessel restriction is both to stop wake damage to flooded buildings on the river bank as well as for safety concerns over the large amount of heavy drift (floating debris, including tree trunks) currently afloat in the river.
Decisions to open, close or limit traffic on certain sections of the rivers are safety considerations made by the Cost Guard. The Corps of Engineers opens and closes locks for maintenance reasons or during flooding, to preserve critical electrical equipment.
The U.S. Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers join in urging all persons near or in the river to continue to exercise extreme caution. In addition to navigation safety concerns, the Corps is continuing to remind motorists not to drive into roads under water. The Corps is also urging people returning to previously flooded areas to use extreme caution due to possible presence of animals in buildings, incorrectly or unsecured utilities and possible health dangers from contaminated water. |
