Mississippi River
Cost to reduce Gulf of Mexico “dead zone”- $2.7 billion a year
It would cost $2.7 billion a year to reduce by two-thirds the size of the "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico through reductions in nutrient runoff, says a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Late start, early end of barge season in Twin Cities area
The shipping season is ending early on the upper reaches of the Mississippi River because ice is making navigation difficult. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the towboat Mary K Cavarra passed through Lock and Dam 2 near Hastings, Minn, on Thursday.
Barge system may be next bottleneck for grain
Transportation consultant Walter Kemmsies is skeptical the barge industry will be able to move the huge corn and soybean crops being harvested this fall, said Farm Futures, based on an interview at a grain industry meeting in New Orleans.
Three Iowa farm groups form water-quality alliance
Groups representing soybean, corn and hog farmers in Iowa formed an alliance to encourage farmers in the Hawkeye state to voluntarily reduce nutrient runoff, said DTN.