Posted on August 24, 2017
By Neil Shaw, KTBS
Life in a river basin has its rewards and challenges. A recent tour of the Red River by the Mississippi River Commission on a stop in Shreveport brought with hope for the future of navigation on the river.
The motor vessel named the Mississippi docked last week at the Port of Caddo-Bossier and on board were members of the Mississippi River Commission, an appointed board required to hold its meetings on the water. In attendance was Gov. John Bel Edwards.
“Most people are surprised when they find out that one in five jobs in Louisiana are somehow involved with waterway shipping. And that 25 percent of the entire country’s waterway shipping occurs through Louisiana ports,” Edwards said.
But the future of commerce on the Red River could be greatly expanded if it is deepened, Edwards said. The mandatory depth south of Shreveport is at least 9 feet. The governor said he’d like to see that go to 12 feet to make it easier for larger barges with bigger shipments to get to the ports.
Rich Brontoli of the Red River Valley Association says these type of meetings are designed to inform the public of what the commission does, which includes recommending policy and work flood control, navigation, and environmental projects on the Mississippi River, programs, the study of any necessary modifications and conducting semiannual inspection trips.
“We have put together a program up and down the Red River to show them what we have on the Red River. What our issues are, what our challenges are, what our successes have been,” Brontoli said.
The Red River falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Vicksburg, Miss. Col. Michael Derosier is the Corps commander whose outfit helps to tame the Red among other projects.
“Definite focus on navigation, flood risk management, environmental restoration, emergency management, hydro power, recreation, regulatory permitting and water supply,” Derosier said.
And the historic visit by the commission was met with high expectation.
“We are excited to host the Mississippi River Commission here in the Vicksburg footprint. It is a historic visit for them on the Red River. It is the first time the commission has met on the motor vessel Mississippi,” Derosier said.
The Corps in Vicksburg also has a civilian advisory panel. Pat Hemphill is a member and she talks about the visit to Louisiana.
“I don’t think we do a good enough job of telling our story to dignitaries of this level about what the Red River means not only to our economy of this area but to the nation. There is work done right here at this factory and at this port that is shipped all over the world,” Hemphill said.
As for this commission’s visit, Brontoli sums it up.
“We are a tributary. Sometimes everybody wants to concentrate on the main stem Mississippi where all the traffic is, but we are a tributary and it’s important to know who we are,” he said.
Source: KTBS
