News

A tale of two rivers

The chief science fellow with Nutrien Ag Solutions says current levels on the Mississippi River vary greatly depending upon location.

Eric Snodgrass says it’s a tale of have’s and have not’s.

“Three weeks ago, it was below low stage, so they’ve recovered 35 feet of water in the Mississippi River by Memphis.”  He says, “Come up to St. Louis and now all of a sudden you’re looking at this very, very dry Missouri Valley, this dry upper Mississippi Valley.”

He says recent flooding across the mid-South recharged the southern half of the river, but drought continues to plague the Upper Midwest.

“We have major snowfall deficits across the north.”  He says, “There’s widespread 10 to 20 inch deficits on the season totals in those areas, and if you look back since the start of the new year, we’ve got a top 20 driest start to any year on record.”

Mike Steenhoek, head of the Soy Transportation Coalition, tells Brownfield early spring is a key time for ag transportation on the river.

“During the month of March, it does reopen.”  He says, “We also source a lot of fertilizer shipments, you know, in the months of March and particularly in April, heading northbound, obviously to coincide with planting.”

Snodgrass says some much needed precipitation fell across the area this week.  He says forecasts call for an active spring east of the Mississippi; however, drought conditions could linger to the west.

AUDIO: Eric Snodgrass – Nutrien Ag Solutions