This article has been reprinted from the Feb. 28 USDA Grain Transportation Report.
Heavy rains have caused high water levels and flooding on portions of the Mississippi River and its tributaries, triggering navigation restrictions that have delayed barge traffic throughout the system.
On February 27, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) opened the Bonnet Carré Spillway, located 28 miles north of New Orleans, in an effort to decrease flood conditions through the New Orleans region and reduce flood risk to the city and surrounding areas.
Operation of the spillway diverts Mississippi River floodwaters, via Lake Pontchartrain, into the Gulf of Mexico.
Current projections indicate the spillway may be open for a month.
The Mississippi River Basin drains 40 percent of the continental United States.
Corps officials report that portions of the Mississippi River Basin have seen the wettest winter in 124 years.
Additionally, the Corps noted spring rains and snow melt could bring more water in the coming months.