By Associated Press
St. Louis, MO – A lengthy drought along the Mississippi River valley is causing water levels so low that sharp limestone rock jutting up from the river bottom could pose safety concerns this winter.
As a result, the Army Corps of Engineers today says it plans to remove rock in about 270 locations between Chester, Illinois, and Cape Girardeau, Missouri. A timeline for the work hasn't been set. Plans call for blasting the rock, then pulling it out of the river.
Low river levels are already causing problems for barge traffic. Earlier this month, the Coast Guard reported three tows bumped the river bottom about eight miles south of St. Louis, prompting the corps to begin dredging the area.