Source: Chris Bennett, AGWEB, 10/11/21

Almost half a billion dollars is buried at the bottom of the Mississippi River. A massive effort is underway to dredge the lower Mississippi along its final 250-mile stretch, and the results could provide major financial benefits to U.S. farmers. At ports along the mouth of the Mississippi, most ships loading soybeans can carry a maximum of 2.4 million bushels, and any additional weight in the hold puts the vessels in danger of scraping the riverbed. However, a mere extra 5' in depth allows a ship to squeeze in 2.9 million bushels, at a small increase in transport costs. 

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