January 2013 • Volume 5, Issue #1
MISSISSIPPI RIVER LOW WATER: OUT
OF THE WOODS?
River transportation continues to garner headlines
ever since the 2012-2013 drought began
endangering barge movements. View last Friday’s
New York Times article here.
The Corps of Engineers completed the removal of
365 cubic yards of limestone in the river on
Saturday, January 12. The work, combined with
heavy rains during that weekend, raised the
Mississippi about six feet higher than from its levels
at Thebes just two weeks earlier.
The welcomed rain helped replenish the near-record
low channel, keeping everyone’s eyes on river
gages, and moving contractors off the job of rock
removal to allow the river to recede. The National
Weather Service forecast on January 17 indicates
the Mississippi at Thebes will quickly fall back after
January 28 or 29. Lower levels will allow more
efficient removal of the remainder of the rock
pinnacles in play.
That same NWS forecast shows river levels at St.
Louis falling dramatically over the next two weeks:



- 3.0 ft. by 01/20/2013
- 4.0 ft. by 01/23/2013
- 5.0 ft. by 01/27/2013
The original plan to begin rock removal at Thebes
and Grand Tower, IL in February was sped up in
large part to WCI and its member companies,
associations, and unions urging Governors,
Congress, and President Obama to allow the Corps
to contract the work out sooner than originally
planned.
The rock pinnacle removal is in two phases, with
the first (clearing pinnacle rocks within the channel)
on schedule to end by the end of January. The
contract for the second phase should be awarded by
the end of this month and will focus on widening
the channel for better traffic flow.
The Corps indicates that enough rock pinnacles
were removed to ensure a 9-foot channel (and 300foot width) down to a 0-foot stage at Thebes. As of
the afternoon of January 17, the river level at
Thebes was 12.55 feet.
The historic low at St. Louis (since the Missouri
River Reservoirs have been fully operational)
occurred in December, 1989 with a stage of -5.32
feet. The current drought has caused levels to fall
as much as -4.39 (a daily average, not an
instantaneous reading) at St. Louis (on January 1,
2013).
The Corps also supplemented the middle
Mississippi by releasing water from Carlyle Lake in
Illinois. The releases from Carlyle flow into the
Kaskaskia River, which enters the Mississippi River
between St. Louis and Cape Girardeau, near
Chester, IL. This work came as a result of WCI
urging the Corps to look at all possible options to
replenish dropping river levels back in November
2012.
Meanwhile, for the Upper, two lock closures will
sever connectivity along the Upper: Lock 6 closed
for dewatering on December 3, 2012, with winter
maintenance taking place until March 10.
The main chamber of Lock 27 closed December 10,
2012 for repairs to the damaged cell on the
downstream side. Lock 27 is slated to reopen
March 1.
January 2013 • Volume 5, Issue #1
WCI PUBLIC EDUCATION 2013 KICKS
OFF IN NASHVILLE
Waterways Council joined the estimated 6,000
farmer and rancher members of American Farm
Bureau Federation (AFBF) at their 94th annual
meeting in Nashville this week. The event, themed
“Many Voices, One Vision” included a display by
WCI on their trade show floor.
The WCI presence was of major interest to AFBF
members, primarily a result of the massive media
attention that low water challenges to river traffic
has received over the past few months.
AFBF President Bob Stallman highlighted the
ability to move up the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers’ deadlines for rock removal as a “win”
for agriculture. And the work isn’t finished. “The
drought continues to affect agriculture,” stated
Stallman. “Transportation on the Mississippi River
and other inland waterways is threatened by
severely low water levels.”
Stallman urged continued activity from AFBF
members, noting the power of grassroots activism.
“Rural voter turnout surpasses the national average.
Farm Bureau members embrace their right and
responsibility to vote,” Stallman stated. “And as
anyone who is familiar with Farm Bureau knows,
our members are active in engaging with their
elected officials throughout the year to advocate for
the policies that our grassroots leaders have said are
vital to the success of agriculture and our nation.”
The Monday afternoon “Transportation &
Agriculture” panel included former WCI
chairman (and current executive committee
member) Dan Mecklenborg of Ingram Barge
Company. The forum addressed the impacts
the ban on Congressionally-directed
spending, or earmarks, has had on the
infrastructure relied on by the agriculture
community. Uncertain funding and
disjointed planning also impacts
transportation infrastructure progress, and
with it, the reliability for American farmers
to get their product to markets worldwide.
Barge transportation in particular received
much attention, in part due to the media
focus on the impacts of the current drought.
Low river levels are directly affecting
American farming families, from the timely
transportation of grain for export, to moving
fertilizer and other inputs needed for the
2013 crop in a timely and cost-effective
manner. The viability of American ports
and the impacts of the Panama Canal were
also discussed.
The principle takeaway for the panel
audience was summed with a call for
farmers to highlight the important role
transportation plays in their operations and
to engage with their elected officials.
“We need grassroots involvement and (Farm
Bureau) members chewing on the ears of
Members in Congress,” Samuel Kieffer,
national governmental relations director for
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, reiterated. Read
the January 15 AFBF media release:
"Efficient Transportation Remains Critical
for Farmers" here.
January 2013 • Volume 5, Issue #1
IOWA GOVERNOR BRANSTAD HOSTS
RIVER NAVIGATION
INFRASTRUCTURE MEETING: WCI
FEATURED PARTICIPANT
Iowa Governor Terry Branstad is hosting a river
transportation meeting February 5, and WCI has
been asked to help lead a panel examining how the
Mississippi connects Iowa to the global economy.
The forum will allow state leaders to hear from
stakeholders on the importance of the river to their
livelihood, business, and industry competitiveness
and to gain perspective on how stakeholders think
the system should be managed moving forward.
Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds will be
joined by state agencies as well as the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers and other relevant federal
agency representatives. The purpose of the meeting
is to discuss concerns regarding shortfalls in lock
and dam infrastructure and how it will impact
Iowa’s economic development.
In a statement to WCI, Gov. Branstad said, “The
Mississippi River is a vital link to connect Iowa
exports to the world market. The river helps give
Iowa a competitive advantage in a variety of
industries, including agriculture.”
The governor continued, “Lt. Governor Reynolds
and I look forward to meeting with key stakeholders
to begin conversations on how we can think about
the challenges anew and how we can build an
effective coalition to make progress and identify a
long-term economically sustainable way to manage
the River system.”
Gov. Branstad’s January 15 Condition of the State
address highlighted Iowa’s economic opportunities,
including its status as an exporter of grains to some
of China’s 1.3 billion residents. Gov. Branstad
highlighted the budding relationship with China’s
leadership, stemming from a visit by China’s Vice
President (and next president) Xi Jinping last year.
That trip included the signing of an agreement to
provide $4.3 billion in soybeans to China.
The February 5 discussion will be open to the
public, but interested individuals should RSVP to
Jake.Ketzner@Iowa.Gov to ensure a seat. The
meeting will run 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (CST) at
the Hotel Blackhawk’s “Gold Room,” 200 E. 3rd
Street, Davenport, Iowa 52801
ASIAN CARP NOW MUSEUM FEATURE
Visitors to Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium can now
view three Asian bighead carp. The fish debuted at
the museum December 20, 2012.
The very presence of these three fish underscore the
fact that carp can be introduced into a body of water
through unintentional, or even intentional, human
efforts – actions not associated with locks or river
transportation operations. Fisheries biologists with
the Illinois Department of Natural Resources found
the carp in an inland lagoon at Chicago's Humboldt
Park back in October 2012.
Biologists at the Shedd Aquarium were hoping the
addition of three Asian bighead carp to the Invasive
Species exhibit would persuade visitors to help keep
the voracious fish out of Lake Michigan. Aquarium
vice president Roger Germann pointed out the three
carp didn’t get into the Humboldt Park lagoon by
themselves. “The reality is, (the lagoon) is not
connected to any waterways,” he said.
“While we may never know how they got in there, I
think all of us kind of agree that there’s a couple
ways that we find invasive species like Asian carp
January 2013 • Volume 5, Issue #1
making their way in these lagoons, through
unintentional discharge of bait, or it could have
been through an unintentional stocking at that
time.”
This is yet another example of how possible
misguided or even nefarious human actions can
impact the public discourse on this important issue.
ST. LOUIS RIVER INDUSTRY CLUB
MEETS JANUARY 23
The first 2013 luncheon of the St. Louis River Industry
Club begins at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 23 at
the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac. Attendance is free,
thanks to each month’s sponsor. January’s sponsor is
American Milling. Lunch is served at noon followed by
a discussion on current coal markets. RSVP by
Monday, January 21 required:
STLRiverIndustry@aepriverops.com Sponsorship
opportunities for the February 27 luncheon are still
available.
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