<br />
<br />~
<br />
<br />-
<br />--
<br />
<br />..,..
<br />
<br />-
<br />
<br />-
<br />
<br />, 1:J..*",,-
<br />
<br />\~~7~
<br />\.--,- ....
<br />
<br />~
<br />
<br />~ '~\~11
<br />n: . ,
<br />. -
<br />
<br />--
<br />
<br />this level. WI;- are sure. Howt'\'t'r, w{' anticipate that
<br />19M will rt'\'t'ri't' the downtrpnd sinn' tht' American
<br />ag-ricultural complex is reg"flining its t'ompt'titin. po-
<br />sition in thl' internatIOnal markf'tpJaee. Harge,; pro-
<br />vide- the most ('ost ef!'{'cti\,(' form of transportation for
<br />('argot.s Ihat mllst mow' in larJ;W \'olumt';;. mt-anmg
<br />O\'N 1,000 tons per shipmen!. With tht- lowt'ring of
<br />the value of the dollar In international Iradp and wjlh
<br />competitor:,: HItes incrt'flsing, W{' are hopeful the tin'r
<br />sy;;tem should attract more tunnage for companit's likl!'
<br />SC~O. As \'oJumt' on lhe ~tissouri il1ereasps, barge
<br />line effieiem'y increases and fait's should reflect the
<br />advantage. I wnnt [0 make a ,;ales pitch to a wonderful
<br />group of salespeople for the nm'igation intere!'t'" fmd
<br />ask YOll to help u!' gent'rate mon' \"olume for tht' rin'r,
<br />:\ot only in thp agricultural arpa. which ha!' tht" lion'",
<br />share toda~", nut also in other commuditi{'!' which
<br />would innt'ast' thlO" tonnagt' base of the ri\t'r.
<br />
<br />In relation to the "'e('fmd area. do you know what
<br />draft barge", can he loaded for ';lO"r.icing the \Iis,;ouri
<br />River today: You've seen slides. The an,;wer is eight
<br />feet. Other riwrs haw deplhs that pt'rmi! loading to
<br />nine ff't'1 or more. You may ask, ..\\'h.... are we differ-
<br />ent?" Tht' \tJs,,"ouri Rin.r is legislated for a nine foot
<br />draft. similar to th", other rin>rs. bUI the water len'l,.
<br />relea"ed lO Iravins Point are only support in. of a nine
<br />fOOl dt'pth. Thert' I!' 11 difference betw{,lO"n df'pth and
<br />draft, A nim..foot depth in the riwr only permit,;
<br />barge!' to he loaded to t'ight fh'C Do wu know that if
<br />a barj;;e could load to one foot more on the \tl,.,;ouri
<br />R!wr that ratb !'hould decline- \01':( or more: Barge
<br />lines alwa....s want thl:' clt'epe,;t loading po,..sible to pru-
<br />
<br />"
<br />
<br />-.....'t
<br />
<br />~
<br />~.....~
<br />
<br />-.
<br />
<br />'<
<br />
<br />- I
<br />-.- ....
<br />~-:- .....
<br />-'~
<br />-..: ... .,
<br />
<br />""
<br />
<br />vide the luwest transportatiun l'O,;t 10 our snlppers.
<br />Tnis di;;pute ht'twt't'n draft versu;; depth on tnt' \Iis.
<br />,;omi River ha" j;:"one on for many years. \\'ith Ihe eco-
<br />nomic situation of our national hudget today, I don't
<br />Want to Iwat a dead non,e. but as the volume increasf's
<br />on the \tissouri Hi\"er. my industry will Iw pushing for
<br />a cost efff'{'ti\"e. g"felltf'r deplh of channd so the)' can
<br />help make th(o heartland ofAm(oriclI mUf(. ('ompetitive.
<br />
<br />Th(o third point, lhe length of the opt-ratinj;:" season
<br />onlhe .\Iissouri Hiv(or, is an area w(' should he ahle to
<br />do sOlllething about. The uperating season i" 243 days.
<br />April 1st through :\O\"eJn~wr ;Wth. When th(ore is
<br />enfmj;:"h water in Ih(o main stem rt.M'n'oirs. the Corps
<br />may extt'nd the flow,. at C;u\"ins Point and th(o season
<br />for ten da)'s or. as in 19....6. shorten the !wginning of
<br />the seasun by ten days which is -Ie; of the season when
<br />they are ('oncernf'd about thl:' sufficiency of water in
<br />Ihl:' re,.en"oirs. This plays havoc on the navigational
<br />and commercialmterests ;;ince plans ha\e to ~w made
<br />four to six weeks in advHm'e in relulion to slnrting or
<br />(onding an opt-ration which loads and discharg(os up to
<br />2.(JO() miles llway. Is there somt' way the variou;; parti",s
<br />involved in determinations of water rt'lease;; for Ihe
<br />\Iissouri could use more sophi,.ticllted forecasting
<br />techniqub to permit the rnllximum lenj.'th of time the
<br />ri\"er could have ,;ufficit'nt water for navigation: A con.
<br />sistentl.... longer i'eason on tht. ri\"er Cllso will nave ad,
<br />HlntHj;:"eous t'ffecls on low rates. I would Iikf' to think
<br />the flood control inter(osls. would welcome this also
<br />"im'e a more i'table 110w on the river ,.hould mitigate
<br />aj;:"ainst the rish of too much water, as well Hi' our
<br />concern for too little.
<br />
<br />
|