18 locks and dams are now closed along the Mississippi River.
A very wet winter has caused an above average snow melt along the waterway, with many communities reporting record high levels. From Minneapolis to Illinois, the Army Corps of Engineers has halted barge traffic, with no boats on the river above St. Louis.
Mike Steenhoek with the Soy Transportation Coalition says this will impact any remaining soy or grain exports, but the real worry is with fertilizer. So far, the USDA estimates more than two million tons of fertilizer have been delivered in 2023.
Locks and dams are expected to be closed for the next three weeks.
