Securing the Nation's Infrastructure

 I have written several times over the years about the importance of our inland navigation system to  agriculture. Much of the Midwest's agricultural products for export move on the Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio River systems, which are all connected.  My friend Ken Olson and his co-author Lois Wright Morton take a look at "Securing the Nation's Infrastructure" in a new Soil and Water Conservation Society paper on the Ohio River.  They do an excellent job of discussing history so that threader can understand why the lock and dam system is necessary and then bring us up to date to the newest structures in place.  Click on the link to learn more. 

Illinois River Traffic

I crossed the draw bridge at Florence today.  I was already on the bridge when lights started flashing.  I stopped to see what was coming.  The only boat I saw was the little one in the top picture.  I looked back upstream again and a tow was peeking around the bend.  ow are few of the photos I got as the tow approached the bridge and then moved under it.  The towboat was the Lydia E Cambell.  She is an Illinois river boat with a pilot house that moves up and down.  The barges were tanker barges and coal barges.

Small Boat

Around the bend 

Tankers and Coal

Under the Bridge

Weekend Trip

We went to Cape Girardeau, MO this weekend for the annual Illinois Soil Classifiers Fall Tour.  Friday night discussion was lead by Dr. Ken Olson who has become an expert on flooding and Flood damages to cropland.  Dr. Olson has recently published a book on Managing Mississippi and Ohio  River Landscapes.  Doctor Olson's book is very readable and he gives a good understanding of flooding issues.  The book has over 200 illustration to improve the reader's understanding of the issues.

On Saturday we toured an un-repaired levee Break on the Len Small Levee District levee.  We also looked at the Mississippi River at Thebes and discussed the effects of the narrow valley at that point.  Other stops later in the day include a new lock and dam under construction on the Ohio River and finally a look at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.  Check out Dr. Olson's book at the link above.

Bruce Putman, Bill Kreznor and Ken Olson

Olmstead Lock and Dam

Mississippi and Ohio Confluence

Navigable Waters

I caught this shot of Ingram's OMAR pushing a full tow of 15 grain barges down the Illinois River near Kampsville in November. I thought this may be one of my best photos that did not make the blog.  It also serves as a reminder of the importance of our navigable waters are to the agriculture industry. Happy New Year.

The OMAR

Illinois River Navigation and the Flood of 2013

The importance of the Illinois River to agriculture in Illinois is huge.  In 2013 record flooding on the Illinois River caused some unanchored barges to damage the Lock and Dam at Marseilles.  The breakaway barges cause huge a mounts of damages, interrupted shipping and may have contributed to flooding of an elementary school.  Ken Olson and Lois Wright Morton did an excellent job of giving background on the Illinois River navigation system.  They also wrote an excellent report in the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 

Winter Traffic on the Mississippi RIver

The Corps of Engineers is taking a lot of heat right now because of their decision to stick with their river management plan and reduce the flow of water in the Mississippi River.  The plan is in place because environmental groups have pressured the Corps to re-create river flows that reflect a more natural flow pattern in the river.  Like many plans that get set in stone by government agencies, it looks like a severe drought was not considered in developing the plan. 

60% of the grain for export in the United States is moved by barge on the Mississippi River system.  This article highlights the advantages of shipping grain in high capacity barges.  The ground transportation system cannot be a substitute at the level needed to meet the needs of our foreign customers.   Those customers may go elsewhere for their grain if they cannot get it from the United States.  The State Journal-Register also had a great article today on the importance of the Mississippi River to commerce.  The River Industry and Agriculture leaders have appealed to President Obama to overrule the Corps of Engineers.  It is withing his power to do so.  This crisis just seems to be another thing that leads toward that fiscal cliff. 

Drought on the River

Drought always raises the question of navigation on oour inland waterways.  I caught this empty tow going up river today.  River navigation is extremely important to our agricultural export business.  The Corps of Engineers is charged with maintaining a 9 foot navigation channel at least 300 feet wide.  After I got this shot I also saw this story in the St. Louis Post Dispatch .  Misssissippi and Ohio River navigation is still chugging along.  others are not so lucky. 

River Transportation

River transportation is an extremely important cog in the agricultural export system.  getting the bounty of the land to market has been an issue since European Settlers began farming in the Midwest.  Texas A&M University completed a study for the United Soybean Board documenting the condition of our river transportation system.  The aging system seems to be causing more delays in shipping.  There are no detours on the river.  If something does not work there is no way around it.  Truck and rail are not a substitute for river transportation because their capacity is so much less. 

Silent Saturday

Full upper river tow of empty grain barges

 Lock and Dam 6 Trempealeau, WI



 Night shot of Lock and Dam 6 Trempealeau, WI