High water conditions improve for barge operators

For most of 2018, high water conditions have disrupted barge traffic on the Mississippi, Ohio, Illinois, and Arkansas rivers. High water and fast currents have caused barge companies to reduce the size of tows, increase horsepower requirements of towboats, and in certain areas, restrict barge traffic to daylight operations.

However, as of May 30, barge operators have reported that navigation conditions have improved on much of the inland waterways, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture