PERRYVILLE, Mo. – A rock formation in the Mississippi River is usually inaccessible to anyone without a boat. A lot of people took advantage of the low river levels this weekend to walk to the Grand Tower. The river is expected to drop even lower over the next few weeks.
A dearth of rainfall in recent weeks has left the Mississippi River approaching record low levels in some areas across several states. Nearly all of the Mississippi River basin, from Minnesota through Louisiana, has seen below-normal rainfall since late August. The low levels have caused barges to get stuck in mud and sand, disrupting river travel for shippers, recreational boaters and passengers on a cruise line.
A rock on the Mississippi River in Missouri is getting plenty of visitors. The water is so low that you can simply walk to the Grand Tower on the Mississippi River. The rock formation is located just west of Carbondale, Illinois, on the Mississippi River.
“If you are out enjoying this beautiful weekend and find yourself visiting Tower Rock, you are not alone. Please be respectful of the property owners around the area by not parking in yards or blocking the roadway. Please be safe, courteous and enjoy the view,” writes the Perry County Sheriff’s office on Facebook.
Southern portions of the Mississippi River are seeing major disruptions. North of Vicksburg, Mississippi agricultural products remained stalled in the ports along the river. At least 19 companies rely on the Port of Vicksburg and together they support about 4,000 jobs in that area.
River levels are higher in Missouri, but they are expected to drop over the next few weeks. The National Weather Service says that the Mississippi River is at around 6.36 feet near Cape Girardeau now. It is expected to dip lower than 5.5 feet by the end of the month. That is a very low level for the area.