US Coast guard restricts lower Mississippi drafts

The US Coast Guard (USGC) set new towing and draft restrictions for the lower Mississippi River on 31 August, as water levels continue to decline.

For southbound traffic from Tiptonville, Tennessee, to near Greenville, Mississippi, barge drafts must remain under 10.5ft and no more than six barges wide, according to the USGC. From Greenville to Tunica, Mississippi, southbound barge drafts must be under 10ft. Boats can tow six barges wide, but no more than four of those barges can be loaded.

Northbound movement from Tunica to Tiptonville must keep drafts below 10ft and cannot be more than six barges wide and no more than four barges loaded.

These new restrictions arrived five days after the previous draft restriction issued by the USGC.

Memphis, Tennessee, water levels fell below the low water threshold of -5ft over the holiday weekend, at nearly -6ft as of 3 September according to the National Weather Service (NWS). As many as six other points on the lower Mississippi River are at their low water thresholds with others expected to reach their thresholds this week.

Low water has already spurred an increase in southbound tariff values, which will likely be exacerbated as US crop harvests progress.

The next 48hrs in the Memphis area is forecast to receive no rain, while the southern half of Mississippi and most of Louisiana may see 0.5-2 inches of rainfall, according to NWS.

By Meghan Yoyotte