Farmers face struggle through continued Mississippi River drought, Core continues to dredge
foxbusiness.comDredges are still working 24/7 to maintain water levels for supply transport.
Extreme drought and a warm fall have left water levels in the Mississippi River low, and that's a problem for farmers who rely on the river to get their crops to market.
Around 60% of America’s grain exports travel down the river to the Gulf Coast, according to the USDA.
The United States Army Corps of Engineers says they are working 24-7 to dredge the river and bring water levels back to normal.
The Mississippi River is a key transit corridor for a wide variety of commodities, such as soybeans, corn, and wheat.
The total damage and economic loss caused by the Mississippi River’s historically low water levels and related supply chain impact are estimated to be around $20 billion, according to AccuWeather.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Louis District's Dredge Potter, was built in 1932. ((Kennedy Hayes / Fox News))
The Corps says water levels remain low. According to the National Weather Service, drought causing low water levels is predicted to continue into next year.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER WATER LEVELS PLUMMET DUE TO DROUGHT, EXPOSING SHIPWRECK
The United States Army Corps of Engineers St. Louis works on the Dredge Potter in the Mississippi River. The Corps says the Dredge Potter is like a big vacuum cleaner that goes down in the river bed, sucks up sediment and then discharges it outside the navigation channel.
«All that sediment is getting discharged up the bank, instead of one solid pile out here,» Dredge Potter Master Brian Ragsdale said.
The Army Corps says the ideal river level is 15 feet on their St. Louis gauge and some areas of the river have been hovering well below in the last few months despite their continued
