by Associated Press Published: October 19,2012
Tags: dredge, dredger, dredging, drought, dry, emergency, federal government, low, navigation, port, river, transportation, travel, water, water level
VICKSBURG — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is bringing in a contract dredge from Greenville to work at the Port of Vicksburg by next week. Corps officials tell the Vicksburg Post the Dredge Iowa is, owned by Illinois-based Great Lakes Barge Dredge and Dock Company. Corps spokesman Kavanaugh Breazeale says the dredge was to [...] [...]
by MBJ Staff Published: October 2,2012
Tags: agriculture, commodity, crop, drought, farm, farmer, farming, rain, row crop, sweet potato, Weather, yam
ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — Mississippi’s soil and climate are ideally suited to producing sweet potatoes, a crop that gives the state a No. 2 national ranking. Harvest began about Aug. 20 on Mississippi’s 22,500 acres of sweet potatoes. North Carolina comes in first with 64,000 acres. Acreage in both states varied little from last year. The [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: September 20,2012
Tags: barge, drought, dry, goods, lock, maritime, port, repair, river, ship, shipping, towboat, traffic, transportation, water, water level
MISSISSIPPI RIVER — Shipping resumed today through one of the Mississippi River’s busiest locks after crews completed emergency repairs that took days and that stranded hundreds of barges destined for points north or south. By the time the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reopened Lock 27 at Granite City, Ill., just north of St. Louis, [...] [...]
by MBJ Staff Published: September 18,2012
Tags: bank, banking and finance, disaster, disaster recovery, drought, dry, emergency, entrepreneur, federal agency, federal government, heat, loan, natural disaster, small business, Weather
NORTH MISSISSIPPI — The U.S. Small Business Administration reports federal economic injury disaster loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private non-profit organizations of all sizes located in Alcorn, Benton and Tippah counties as a result of the drought and excessive heat. Under this declaration, the [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: September 18,2012
Tags: barge, boat, boating, depth, drought, dry, gaiuge, maritime, measure, measuring, river, sea level, shipping, stick, towboat, traffic, water level, Weather
MISSISSIPPI RIVER — Reading the depth of the Mississippi River is high-tech stuff compared to decades ago, when engineers used sticks and pressure lines to measure water levels. Still, a clear measure of water in the river when levels are low can be confusing even when updated hourly on the Internet. To get the amount, [...] [...]
by MBJ Staff Published: September 11,2012
Tags: certification, certify, drought, dry, farm, farmer, farming, federal agency, fire ant, government, hay, inspect, inspection, pest, pest control, state agency, Weather
ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce’s (MDAC) Bureau of Plant Industry is providing assistance to Mississippi hay producers that are transporting baled hay into areas that do not have established populations of fire ants. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a fire ant quarantine in place that restricts the movement [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: September 5,2012
Tags: barge, drought, dry, hurricane, port, rain, shipping, storm, towboat, tropical storm, water level, Weather
MISSISSIPPI RIVER — Rain from the remnants of Hurricane Isaac could help the drought-stricken Mississippi River, but experts say it’s not enough for long-term relief. The Mississippi River is lower than it has been in years, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is busy trying to keep barge traffic flowing on the vital shipping [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: August 30,2012
Tags: barge, boat, drought, dry, hurricane, rain, severe weather, ship, shipping, storm, towboat, tropical weather, water level, Weather
MISSISSIPPI RIVER — The Coast Guard said vessels along the Mississippi River were weathering Tropical Storm Isaac today and there were no reports of loose barges. Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryan Tippets said the river remained closed to shipping. The Coast Guard and port officials were expected to begin inspecting conditions today as a first [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: August 29,2012
Tags: contractor, drought, highway, infrastructure, rain, road, roadbuilder, roadbuilding, state agency, transportation, travel, Weather
MISSISSIPPI DELTA — Work is resuming on a four-lane project to link Cleveland and Ruleville. The work on Mississippi 8 has hits some snags since 2009. Kevin Magee, a Mississippi Department of Transportation engineer, tells the Bolivar Commercial problems with rain, drought and contractors are no longer issues. Magee said the final phase of the [...] [...]
by MBJ Staff Published: August 27,2012
Tags: barge, boat, boater, boating, commodity, corn, crop, drought, dry, farm, farmer, farming, grain, hot, port, row crop, severe weather, ship, shipping, towboat, water, water level, Weather
ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — The drought across the nation’s Corn Belt is contributing to record high grain prices and near-record low river levels, both of which are impacting Mississippi’s corn. Corn prices are at $8 per bushel and have been trading in that range for the past couple of weeks. This is compared to about $5.20 [...] [...]