Winona port hit by floods, bridge close, late thaw

Winona, Minn. (AP)

June 28, 2008 11:34 PM

Mississippi River towns brace for major flooding — Up and down the Mississippi River flooding has brought barge traffic to a near standstill at times. More than 100 barges were waiting in Winona, Minn., for the river to open up, so they could proceed south.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

More than 100 barges are stranded in Winona's commercial harbor as they wait for the reopening of Mississippi River locks and dams that have been closed due to flooding in Iowa, Illinois and Missouri.

The delays are another blow for Winona businesses that ship grain down river, following on the heels of a late thaw and the closure of the highway bridge between Winona and Wisconsin.

The delays are having an effect, with barge traffic in the commercial harbor down 36 percent from the same time last year. The manager of one grain shipper, CHS, says it's the slowest start to the shipping season in 20 years.

Barge traffic likely won't be able to resume until after July 5, when the locks and dams are tentatively scheduled to reopen.

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Information from: Winona Daily News, http://www.winonadailynews.com

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