Drought-stricken Mississippi bargemen raise calls for federal action

FALLING water levels on the Mississippi River has prompted concerns about the detrimental effect on commercial shipping, with several barge operators calling for federal intervention from the US Army Corps of Engineers.

The companies, including three based in Paducah, are demanding the release of water from the Missouri River to improve the flow of the drought-stricken Mississippi, which is delaying barge traffic to the point it has reached standstill.

"Barges are being loaded to less than full capacity and configured in smaller tow sizes to navigate through the restricted channel," the companies wrote in their December letter.

Diminishing water levels on the river are being described as a looming crisis that could affect Kentucky's shipping, agriculture and manufacturing sectors, reports The Associated Press.

Kentucky Democratic Governor Steve Beshear has in response demanded that US Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell sponsor legislation that would order the Army Corps of Engineers to release water from dams on the Missouri River, thus raise water levels on the Mississippi.

According to Governor Beshear, the Corps, acting at his request and the requests of officials in other affected states, has expedited a contract to demolish rock formations that could cause a bottleneck for shipping on the river.