Locks Reopen On Upper Miss

Locks and dams reopened on the Upper Mississippi as waters dropped below flood stage following a surge due to rapid snowmelt.

According to river gauge readings from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration along the Mississippi River, river levels were on gradual decline.  Some areas, such as Rock Island, were trending downward from moderate flood stage to “action stage.”

In the Rock Island District, only Lock and Dam 16 and 17 remained closed as of May 11, and they were due to reopen shortly.  Lock operators reported regular commercial traffic, mostly downbound.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. soybean exports totaled 394,755 metric tons during the week ending May 4, 2023.  In comparison, U.S. soybean exports totaled 2,748,615 metric tons for the week ending October 20t, 2022.