Trouble on the Mighty Mississippi continues

The Dredge Hurley, owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  Photo courtesy  USACE/Memphis District.

Low water continues to cause trouble on the Mississippi River at Memphis.  This morning's stage of -8.5 feet is a slight drop from yesterday.  The forecast is for a continued slow drop to -9 feet by this weekend.  River forecasts can be found on MemphisWeather.net here.

Army Corps Dredging River Near Memphis 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is using a 350-foot-long dredge to make the Mississippi River near Memphis easier for barges and boats to navigate.

The Corps is using the dredge to remove sediment from the Mississippi River’s bottom as it tries to maintain the river’s vital navigation channel. The dredge, called the Hurley, is currently working at Redman Bar just north of Downtown Memphis.

Engineers have been dredging sections of the river near Memphis because its low water level could pose a hazard to barges and tow boats that transport material down the river. Officials say the river is running several feet below normal.

The Hurley can dredge to a depth of 75 feet and can remove up to 5,000 cubic yards of sediment per hour.

– The Associated Press

The American Queen docked on Mud Island in Memphis this month; its owners decided not to send the boat below Memphis on a trip to Vicksburg.  Photo credit: Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal.

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