US / 20,000 jobs at risk from low water along the Mississippi River

Shipping industry officials issued a new study Friday saying nearly 20,000 jobs are at risk if something isn’t done to prevent barge traffic from grinding to a halt along the Mississippi River in December.

Meanwhile, a group of lawmakers have joined the private sector in asking the Obama administration to take action.

The study, which was issued by the American Waterways Operators and Waterways Council Inc., says 4,100 barge jobs will be directly affected by the shutdown, and another 15,600 indirect positions also are at risk.

Industry officials say barge traffic will be stopped about Dec. 10 if the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues to restrict the flow of the Missouri River into the Mississippi and rock pinnacles south of St. Louis aren’t removed.

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via Study: 20,000 jobs at risk from low waterways.