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Golding Barge Line Co-Owner Austin Golding on the risk to barge traffic from the low water levels along the Mississippi River.
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So the mighty Mississippi American dipping into crisis levels low water levels are threatening to halt barge traffic on the nation's busiest waterway.
Which could have a direct impact on consumers.
About seven billion dollars in goods like corn -- petroleum.
Our shift along the river during just December and January.
Joining me with more on the potential volatile hosting -- co owner of Golding barge -- Austin welcome back to the show.
I'm surprised to hear about this I mean do you feel like this has been getting a lot of attention that this is even going on right now.
Delegates are to pick up attention recently.
But there's a problem that we would like to see more attention be paid to is a very very serious it issue it has major consequences for this country.
And with no rain at all the river's historic low can be reached on December 22.
What is that mean I mean for for those of us who are standing near it all the time how low housing gotten how severe is -- how big of a crisis this -- Well it's actually gotten did situation is more dire than that on December 10 in Saint Louis it could possibly regional level about five and a half -- With that would translate into is -- area around.
Which would impede transit any kind of motor vessel that we traveled to this area of the waterway.
What we're looking at right now it's a complete shutdown of that area of the upper Mississippi River.
Why see a lot of river's muddy insanely bottoms and the channels that we've had sustained low water this year -- -- Actually dug out about a current that a -- bottom miniseries it's occupied -- -- pinnacles.
This -- proved to be impassable by any kind of boats and -- us through that effectively close the river in this area.
So is there anything that anyone can do you or is it just up to a rain dance and praying for the weather to change.
We'll right would certainly help.
What we've asked for it is a formal declaration of an emergency.
About -- president and -- -- wrong.
That would help expedite the contract and processed actually blast from the rock pinnacles that would dynamite that would help make this area passable.
Unfortunately what we're face into the low water situation.
That is coupled by the fact that the -- water flowing out of the Missouri River which is a huge.
Huge tribute to -- is up Mississippi.
Area.
Is now being reduced even farther yes and I have a drought situation.
Now also -- by the fact couldn't close been reduced that Missouri with a fixed bottom sticking point south of where the flows normally -- the upper Mississippi.
You know it it is so dangerous to depend on the federal government for anything you know we have learned that in our area with super storm sandy is there anything that you can do locally to make a difference I mean do you have to wait for the president.
To give you money and declared this staters or anything locally that can be -- are privately.
No -- who with I think federally is is we're gonna have to looked at C solution this problem back to this -- for -- We need this process of blasting rock tentacles to be extradited as fast as possible.
We really need more water to be released out of Missouri River and -- Missouri river basin and of course we need more -- A -- just got a huge economic impact the American consumer.
Yeah let's talk about that because we want people around the country who -- nearby mean besides the fact that this is pretty astounding and and I think a lot of us don't know that it's going on.
It also will ultimately impact us because if there's seven billion dollars worth of goods going through this area.
That has a domino effect to the rest the country in terms of prices what could we expect to see an arrest the country.
Well I think what you can see this is direct example.
If you have an area already been affected by drought that affects a lot of the crop yields so what now what you're seeing is that this there's already been affected.
The -- they did.
-- are now being restricted or delayed or not even been able to be -- southbound anyway.
So you have this low yield crop not -- of south.
And what -- the hidden problem here at the far -- -- needs to go north.
To get ready for next year's crop is not able to do that either it's also they have this commodities crisis in the center.
Because north and south as far as imports and exports is affecting both -- you know not to mention the coal is not live in south not to mention a patrol and -- is not may have -- out to be refined and do it normally a lot of things that we touch our everyday life going to be affected by this.
Oh wait you mean either gone or the federal government come of the rescue I know who I'd -- arm out of those two -- In Atlanta Boston -- -- -- -- and I keep us posted.
Zero.
