Drought Forces Corps To Lower Missouri River By A Foot, Navigation Season Cut Short

(Omaha, NE) — Prolonged drought across the region has pushed the U-S Army Corps of Engineers to lower Missouri River levels from Nebraska City to Kansas City by a full foot. The lower levels will affect boat traffic and could impact municipal water supplies and other utilities that rely on the river. Missouri River Basin Water Management Director John Remus says conditions have been getting worse since the drought first began to emerge in July of 2020. The lower water levels will have an impact on barge traffic this fall, as navigation season will now end on November 28th — three days early. Remus says even prolonged, heavy rains likely wouldn’t make up the difference in low soil moisture levels, as they’ve been so low for so long.