April 2015 • Volume 7, Issue #4
WCI ROLLS OUT NEW TV
COMMERCIAL
QUESTION: IS IT POSTED on YOUR
WEBSITE?
A new television commercial is running in the
metropolitan Washington, DC area just in time for
Congress’ reconvening on April 13. View it at
www.waterwayscouncil.org
The ad underscores the vital nature of waterways
transportation to the agriculture industry, and the
importance of agriculture exports to the American
economy.
The message spotlights the importance of our inland
waterways transportation network. How can you
help? Consider posting a link in the following
forums:
 Post a link to the commercial on your
company/association/union’s website;
 Your professional and personal Facebook
pages – and urge them to “Like” Waterways
Council’s Facebook page;
 Your LinkedIn account;
 Your professional and personal Twitter
pages;
 And any other online resource!
The commercial is supported by the Illinois Corn
Growers Association, the National Grain & Feed
Association, and the Minnesota Soybean Research
& Promotion Council. Special thanks to AEP River
Operations for their assistance in production of the
commercial.
MISSOURI RIVER FLOWS SLOW
Above normal temperatures coupled with below
normal precipitation patterns stalled mountain
snowpack accumulation this year, and the plains
snow is melting about a month ahead of normal.
As of April 1, mountain snowpack was 68 percent
of normal in the reach above Fort Peck Dam and 74
percent of normal in the reach between Fort Peck
and Garrison dams. Mountain snowpack appears to
have peaked nearly a month earlier than normal this
year in the reaches above the dams at Fort Peck and
Garrison. Mountain snowpack typically peaks in
mid-April, with runoff from the melting snow
entering the reservoir system from May through
July.
View
mountain
snowpack
graphic
here: http://www.nwdmr.usace.army.mil/rcc/reports/snow.pdf.
Below-normal mountain snowpack and the lack of
snow in the plains is expected to produce 80 percent
of normal runoff in the Missouri River basin above
Sioux City, Iowa, in 2015. The Missouri River
Basin Water Management Division of the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers decreased its annual
runoff forecast on April 7. The 20.3 million acre
feet forecast is 4.9 million acre feet less than
average.
As recently as a month ago, the forecast for runoff
was at 97 percent of normal. Runoff during
February was 186 percent of normal, with
temperatures above normal in the upper basin
limited river ice build-up and assisted in snow melt.
Reservoirs upstream from Nebraska remain well
positioned to provide navigation and other
authorized uses, according to the Corps.
April 2015 • Volume 7, Issue #4
Gavins Point Dam releases on the Nebraska-South
Dakota border were increased in mid-March to
support the Missouri River navigation season,
which began April 1 near St. Louis, MO.
SENATOR MARK KIRK URGED to
LEAD CHARGE for RIVER LOCKS
Staff members of Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) visited
with agriculture stakeholders on March 30 to
discuss, among other issues, river transportation and
international trade opportunities at Niemeyer Farms
in central Illinois.
Jacquelin
Muhammad
from
Sen.
Kirk’s
Washington, D.C. office and Robert Johnson from
his Chicago office toured the farm operations and
even got the opportunity to drive the farm tractor
and sprayer.
Mr. Niemeyer farms corn and soybeans in Auburn,
IL. He is a member of the board of directors for
Waterways Council and a former president of the
National Corn Growers Association, among other
policy groups with which he’s been associated.
The farm tour was prompted after a meeting with
Sen. Kirk and his Agriculture Advisory committee
to discuss issues critical to Illinois agriculture. It
was held at the state’s Department of Agriculture in
Springfield, Illinois. Sen. Kirk will be seeking his
second term representing Illinois in 2016.
“Our rivers are crucial for moving America’s
agriculture and our economy. We must continue to
relay that - to our elected officials, and with the
media, like in the new ad WCI developed,” declared
Mr. Niemeyer.
Garry Niemeyer ensured Sen. Kirk heard about the
need for leadership on the issues impacting river
locks and dams, including funding for their
operation & maintenance and rehabilitations, and a
start of the Navigation-Ecosystem Sustainability
Program (NESP).
“This was a great opportunity for Senator Kirk’s
staff to have a hands-on experience from the seat of
our tractor, and for me to share exactly the issues
affecting agriculture,” said Mr. Niemeyer.
“Then we had a sit-down meeting hosted by my
wife to discuss all of the issues. I would hope that
he would take a leadership role in securing PED
(pre-construction engineering and design) funding
(for NESP) and beginning the process of building
the first 1,200 foot lock in Illinois.
April 23 WCI ad appearing in “National Journal”
April 2015 • Volume 7, Issue #4
MISSISSIPPI RIVER SHIPPING
IMPACTED by FUNDING ISSUES
The following article by Fred Dundon ran in the
March 12 issue of Lake News Online and is also
available on the WCI Facebook page:
Freight shipping on Mississippi River impacted
by MoDOT funding issues
From delayed maintenance at locks and dams to a
funding shortfall for developing port authorities in
Missouri, there's not enough money to go around to
keep up with the pace of cargo transit on the river.
David Shipper braced against the bitter February
wind, pointing out new steel gates that allow vessels
in and out of Mississippi River lock number 22.
Lock and dam number 22, about eight miles south
of Hannibal, received four brand new gates last
winter, replacing the old gates used since the 1930s.
“If you’d seen the old gates and then the new gates,
you’d be amazed,” Shipper, the lock and dam
supervisor, said.
But the recent replacements at the Saverton, Mo.
facility are the exception, not the norm for
Mississippi River infrastructure. Just a few feet
from the new gates, barges have all but completely
worn away the steel plating at the entrance the lock.
Cracks in the structure’s concrete go without repair.
Other small projects are delayed.
From delayed maintenance at locks and dams to a
funding shortfall for developing port authorities in
Missouri, there’s not enough money to go around to
keep up with the pace of cargo transit on the river.
The Missouri Department of Transportation
(MoDOT) says improving the state’s waterways for
cargo transport is a high priority, even as it
continues to deal with the effects of aging freight
transportation infrastructure throughout the state
and the ongoing depletion of funding for upgrades
and maintenance.
Enhancing water transportation highlights one part
of a massive plan released Feb. 6 to overhaul and
upgrade the movement of freight in and out of the
state.
Mississippi River lock and dam 22 supervisor David Shipper
surveys the lock Thursday, Feb. 26. He said the lock, closest to
Hannibal, is in fairly decent shape after significant upgrades
last winter. However, many small-scale projects have had to
be delayed due to a lack of funding.
The plan prioritizes 122 projects to improve the
condition of freight transit in the state, but funding
obstacles, particularly on the state’s rivers, inhibit
the implementation of the plan for the foreseeable
future.
Importance of river transportation
Missouri relies on water transportation for the
export of stone, chemicals and particularly farm
April 2015 • Volume 7, Issue #4
products and coal. Almost 20 billion tons of goods
left Missouri by water in 2011.
Barges transported nearly 50 million tons of goods
on Missouri rivers in 2011, including inbound
goods and through goods. MoDOT predicts that
number will increase by 27 percent to 63.3 billion
by 2030. The value of goods shipped on the water is
expected to rise from about $12.5 billion in 2011 to
$15.4 billion in 2030.
Even though rivers provide more efficient, reliable
transportation, MoDOT says the state underutilizes
its river resources for cargo movement. Ports in
northeast Missouri particularly “play a critical role
in moving goods to international shipping
destinations,” according to the freight plan.
“The expansion of the Panama Canal was also
mentioned by stakeholders who want to make sure
the state is positioned to take advantage of
potentially increased freight flow and remain
competitive,” the plan states.
Water remains one of the most efficient ways to
carry cargo. A single barge carries the equivalent of
58 tractor-trailers. A standard 15-barge tow carries
equal to 870 truckloads. Yet the movement of cargo
by water accounts for only about 5 percent of the
tonnage moved in Missouri.
Upgrading waterways to maximize potential is no
small feat in an arena racing to fight against the
wear and tear of age and in constant competition
with more popular modes of freight transportation.
Locks and dams
The movement of goods on the Mississippi through
northern Missouri hinges on the health of the locks
and dams. All but one of the 28 locks and dams on
the northern Mississippi has surpassed their life
expectancy. All five locks and dams in northeast
Missouri — numbers 20, 21, 22, 24 and 25 — have
surpassed their expiration date by at least 20 years.
Tom Heinold, United States Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE) Deputy Chief of Operations for
the Rock Island District, said the lock and dam
system is in dire need of repair, because “they are
deteriorating at a rate that is going to make them
increasingly unreliable over time unless we put in
some rehabilitation and significant maintenance.”
Shipper said the local crews do what maintenance
they can. “There are just certain things we can’t
do,” he said.
Today’s barges put a strain on the locks and dams,
which because of their age can’t accommodate
modern shipping standards.
For example, a standard 15-barge tow measures
1,200 feet in length. Most of the locks measure 600
feet in length. To navigate through the locks,
operators often must run smaller configurations or
break down a tow of barges into multiple sections.
Hundreds of hours of delays rack up each year,
stalling exportation, hurting the economy.
Shipper said during peak times around harvest,
getting the backlogs thinned out can become a
headache.
MoDOT says replacing the locks and dams may
make the most sense economically. USACE agrees,
but it’s not that easy.
April 2015 • Volume 7, Issue #4
MoDOT has no authority to fund improvements at
the facilities. USACE must rely on Congressional
appropriations.
“USACE is not enabled to make necessary changes
because congressional priorities are on traditional
surface transportation projects,” the freight plan
outlines.
Veiled good news exists, however.
“We have the worst infrastructure,” Heinold said of
the facilities on the northern Mississippi. “That
might sound a little backwards. But prioritization
says we need to spend the money right here.”
The Rock Island District received $20 million in
funds to address critical navigation backlog in 2015.
Heinold said repairs in the district tally $1 billion.
“We are getting some funding, however, it’s not
enough,” he said.
As a result, USACE has switched to “fix-as-fail”
strategy. Sometimes it’s too late. Twice in 2014,
failures at locks caused the complete closure of
rivers in the Rock Island District and delayed the
shipment of goods.
“There are things that need to be fixed, and we can’t
put it off forever,” Shipper said.
Ports
One of 14 public ports in Missouri, the Marion
County Port Authority (MCPA) has no physical
location. But that hasn’t stopped MoDOT from
reaffirming its commitment to port development in
the state.
Northeast Missouri Economic Development
Specialist George Walley said there is no active
plan to build a physical port, but MoDOT considers
the port “developing.” Walley said the MCPA
participates in all the state port authority discussions
to be ready if an economically beneficial
opportunity arises.
MoDOT’s “support,” as Walley sees it, is limited to
groups, outreach and resource development, not
funding for capital projects.
“But it means something different to everyone,” he
said.
State money devoted to capital improvements at
public ports has been inconsistent in recent years.
The state allocated $3 million in 2014 for
improvement projects, but ports saw no capital
funds from 2010 to 2013 and will see no capital
improvement funds again in 2015.
“All the existing ports have projects they’d like to
achieve, but limited or no funding sources with
which to achieve them,” Walley said.
A slew of federal funding options exist, provided
Congress authorizes the funds. Each grant has a set
of criteria ports must match. In the meantime,
MoDOT provides enough administrative money to
keep someone employed to help develop the
possibility of a port. Without a business deal in
place, Walley said it’s challenging to get a public
port authority off the ground.
“It’s hard to approach a county and ask for a loan
with no tangible benefit,” he said.
“Not everyone in the port community agrees on all
the issues,” he continued, but ports throughout the
April 2015 • Volume 7, Issue #4
state work well with each other to allocate the small
amount of money from the state to the ports that
need it the most.
communicate with state representatives to better
spell out the need for congressional funding of
waterway repairs. Without Congress on board,
many of MoDOT’s wishes may not come true.
What’s next
According to MoDOT, the lack of consistent
funding makes it difficult to move the freight plan
beyond just that — a plan.
“The Missouri State Freight Plan is designed to
guide our partners statewide in their development
plans, but for now, the plan is all we can provide,”
MoDOT Chief Engineer Ed Hassinger said in a
news release. “MoDOT’s construction budget is
dropping to levels that won’t even allow us to
maintain the highway system we have, so there’s
virtually no opportunity to make an investment in
freight at a statewide level.”
With the funding deficit acutely affecting roads, it’s
reasonable to imagine even less support for the
state’s waterways in the coming years.
Nevertheless, the freight plan still outlined 122
projects as top priorities in improving freight
transport in the state. Of the 11 projects in northeast
Missouri, two addressed waterway transport. Both
projects — assigned to the ‘medium’ prioritization
category — addressed upgrades at the Lewis
Canton Port in Lewis County.
Although the river is easy to see, Heinold says the
country’s navigation infrastructure goes unnoticed.
“Most people can see every day the state of our
highways. So generally, highways get more
attention,” he commented.
More visibility to the problem could generate
solutions, Heinold offered. MoDOT, he said, could
“Everyone’s heard the term ‘do more with less,’”
Heinold concluded. “We’re at a point where we
have to do less with less.”
ADMINISTRATION LOOKS to MOVE
ASIAN CARP BRANDON ROAD LOCK
PROJECT FORWARD in FY16
In this March 20 message to stakeholders, Col.
Mark Deschenes, Commander of the Corps’ Rock
Island District, announced the continuation of
studying options for containing invasive Asian
Carp:
“To provide more consistent management of the
Illinois Waterway, the Corps of Engineers has
assigned responsibility for managing the Great
Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study
(GLMRIS) Brandon Road study to the Rock Island
District. The Rock Island District is responsible for
the operations and maintenance of a majority of the
Illinois Waterway, including Brandon Road Lock
and Dam, located at Joliet, Illinois. This study will
evaluate options and technologies to reduce the risk
of upstream inter-basin transfer of aquatic nuisance
species (ANS) at Brandon Road Lock and Dam and
will seek to identify an effective recommended plan
that minimizes impacts to waterway uses and users.
Although the Brandon Road study will be managed
by Rock Island District, the GLMRIS program will
continue to be managed by Chicago District and a
portion of the study team will continue to be located
in Chicago. The scope and schedule for the study is
still being developed. The Corps of Engineers is
April 2015 • Volume 7, Issue #4
committed to conducting the study as efficiently
and expeditiously as possible and will maintain
frequent communication with the public and
stakeholders as the study proceeds. Project
information will be shared on the Brandon Road
website located at: http://glmris.anl.gov/brandon-rd/
Rock Island District is part of the Corps of
Engineers Mississippi Valley Division, Vicksburg,
MS commanded by Major General Michael Wehr.
The Brandon Road Project Manager is Andrew
Leichty (309-794-5399) and the GLMRIS Program
Manager is Jeff Heath (312-846-5452). Please
contact Mr. Leichty or Mr. Heath with any
questions regarding the Brandon Road study or the
GLMRIS program.”
The funding would come via the Corps’
Investigations account, primarily under the Great
Lakes-Mississippi River Interbasin Study, with
supplemental funds from the Environmental
Protection Agency’s Great Lakes Restoration
Initiative, according to a Corps source.
ST. PAUL DISTRICT ANNOUNCES
FIRST TOW of NAVIGATION SEASON
The navigation season on the upper stretches of the
Upper Mississippi River opened with the Motor
Vessel New Dawn locking nine barges through
Lock and Dam 2, near Hastings, Minnesota, at 7:45
a.m. on March 25.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul
District, considers the first tow to arrive at Lock and
Dam 2, near Hastings, as the unofficial start of the
navigation season, because it means all of its locks
are accessible to commercial and recreational
vessels. The earliest date for an up-bound tow to
reach Lock and Dam 2 was March 4, in 1983, 1984
and 2000.
The first tow to reach Lock and Dam 2 in 2014 was
the M/V Angela K. She locked through April 16,
2014. The last tow of the 2014 season was the M/V
Mary K. Cavarra. She departed the lock heading
south Nov. 20, 2014.
SPECIAL ELECTION ANNOUNCED for
PRIME RIVER CONGRESSIONAL SEAT
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner announced a
tentative timeline for filling the vacant 18th
Congressional district seat, less than a week after
Aaron Schock departed the 114th Congress.
The district contains significant river real estate.
Both NESP locks slated for modernization on the
Illinois River are in the 18th district, and the Illinois
side of Locks 20, 21, and 22 on the Mississippi, also
slated for 1,200-foot lock modernization under
NESP, are also in the district.
The April 1 announcement placed the primary
election for June 8, with a July 24 general election,
but those dates are expected to move back to
accommodate federal law on providing sufficient
time for overseas residents to receive and submit
absentee ballots. The altered dates will likely mean
an early July primary with an August general
election. Candidate filing is slated for April 15-20.
RIVERWORKS DISCOVERY LAUNCHES
ONLINE JOBS and CAREERS PAGE for
STUDENTS
RiverWorks Discovery launched a new effort to
educate students on river-related jobs and careers.
April 2015 • Volume 7, Issue #4
Since 2010, the Who Works the River program has
educated high school students on potential career
paths that are river related.
Now, those jobs are featured in an easy-reference
online catalog of jobs and careers, found at
http://www.whoworkstheriverscareers.org/
Through the Who Works the River program,
hundreds of students in over a dozen U.S. cities and
towns met with industry representatives to learn
about the myriad of job opportunities, and not just
for the college-educated. Many companies hire
right out of high school, providing on-the-job
training and, in many cases, a career path for
advancement options.
This new online feature hopes to enhance the
students’ knowledge of job options. Also, a
different career will be featured every second
Wednesday of the month, found on the website.
Three Who Works the River events are poised for
April:



April 16 - Pittsburgh
April 23 -Vicksburg
April 23 - Memphis (first annual)
The Memphis event will include a tour of a
towboat, courtesy of WCI member Wepfer Marine.
RiverWorks Discovery needs your help – building a
list of jobs with a brief description and photo for
each one. This requires input from our readers.
Please contact errin@riverworksdiscovery.org for
the career information form.
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prohde@waterwayscouncil.org