Following an extended period of reduced traffic on the Mississippi River, there are signs of improvement.  The National Weather Service listed the depth at 0.5 feet above the “zero stage”, a standard measure.  By comparison, on October 18th, the Coast Guard recorded -10.7 feet at Memphis, representing the lowest levels since 1988.  At Memphis, the Mississippi has risen 6.5 feet from December 1st and reached 2 feet above the “zero stage” by December 9th.

An indication of an improvement in traffic flow is the reality that there are no backups at Memphis in comparison to 51 vessels and 710 barges in late October.  Downstream grain barge rates declined from $2,216 on October 25th to $842 on November 29th.  As the water level rises, the number of barges that can be assembled in a tow increases.  Under extreme restrictions, 20 barges were connected, now the average is 30 but still below the normal 40 barges.