Mississippi River News

5th Circuit: Louisiana Statutes, not Admiralty Law, Govern Actions Against River Boat Pilots

As maritime accidents go, the collision between the M/V Strandja and the M/V Kieffer E. Bailey on the Mississippi River was hardly a catastrophe. A jury determined that damages amounted to only $114,000. But the accident did provide an opportunity …

Rising Mississippi River Tests Iowa, Illinois Flood Barriers

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — The rising Mississippi River tested flood defenses in southeast Iowa and northwest Illinois as it neared forecast crests in the area Monday, driven by a spring surge of water from melting snow. The peak water levels …

Flooding Mississippi River Prompts Evacuations, Sandbagging

Communities along the Upper Mississippi River scrambled Wednesday as the always massive river swelled to near record levels, forcing some to be evacuated from their homes while others downstream stacked sandbag walls and closed off flood- prone areas near the …

Minnesota Prepares for Flooding on Mississippi, Other Rivers

STILLWATER, Minn. (AP) – The Metropolitan Airports Commission temporarily shut down flight operations for much of Tuesday at the St. Paul Downtown Airport while crews installed flood control barriers to hold back rising water on the Mississippi River. St. Paul, …

Davenport Flood Mitigation Projects Set to Start in 2023

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — In late 2023, residents and business owners will see some of the first projects of Davenport’s flood mitigation plan under construction. The first phase of Davenport’s $165 million plan aims to address floodwaters that surge up …

Drought Snarls Mississippi River Transit in Blow to Farmers

ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER (AP) — Adam Thomas starts harvesting soybeans on his Illinois farm when the dew burns off in the morning. This year, dry weather accelerated the work, allowing him to start early. His problem was getting the …

Low Water Disrupts Industry Along Lower Mississippi River

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Plummeting water levels in the lower Mississippi River are projected to drop even further in the weeks ahead, a projection shows, dampening the region’s economic activity and potentially threatening jobs in one of the country’s poorest …

Barge Backlog Swells on Parched Mississippi River

CHICAGO —Commercial barge traffic on southern stretches of the Mississippi River was at a standstill on Tuesday as low water levels halted shipments of grain, fertilizer and other commodities on the critical waterway, shipping sources said. The supply chain snarl …

Canadian Owner OKs $84M in Work, $1.5M Fine; Louisiana Plant

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The company that owns a closed fertilizer plant in Louisiana has agreed to clean up more than a billion pounds of hazardous waste and to pay a $1.5 million fine, federal and state agencies said Thursday. …

5th Circuit: Builder’s Risk Insurer May Recoup Payment for Damage to Docking Facility

A doctrine that prevents parties from seeking reimbursement for intangible economic losses caused by maritime negligence doesn’t prevent an insurer from recouping $1.7 million it paid to a policyholder for damage to a structure used to moor boats, a panel …