Topic starter
07/08/2012 1:33 am
I received a press release today from the Riverboat Twilight - they are having people cancel out due to fear of low water hampering their trip. People don't realize the low water being written about is on the LOWER Mississippi, below the lock and dam systemed Upper Miss. We are fine up here. So if you know of anyone contemplating a trip on the Twilight, or the Spirit of Peoria, please assure them our water levels are fine.
07/08/2012 2:07 am
Don't know anyone contemplating a trip on either, but would gladly lend my voice to that. Even if they were on the Lower, we are still running with 8'6" drafts and doing okay. The shallow spots are spots only, though there are quite a few. If memory serves, both the TWILIGHT and SPIRIT are fairly light draft, aren't they?
It's too bad the media doesn't always tell the whole story, but then people don't always hear the whole story even when it is told.
Topic starter
07/08/2012 3:11 am
Drafts
The TWILIGHT is about 3 and the SPIRIT 5, I think. What about the Wolf and Yazoo for this current AQ trip?
07/08/2012 3:14 am
Can't ssay about the Wolf. The Yazoo is pretty shallow, 10 feet or so, but we've had a slight rise over the past few days, water out of the Ohio River. The "crest" was today at 4.1 ft, falling to 1.3 by Saturday.
07/08/2012 3:17 am
...and don't forget, just 14 months ago we were at 57 feet at Vicksburg, 14 feet above flood stage. Wow, just wow.
07/08/2012 3:52 pm
Trying to remember all that water last year. Our lakes in the mountains are as much as 30 feet low and going down. Most of that water is taking a short cut through a pipe to thirsty people in Colorado Springs and will never see the Arkansas River. Fortunately we are getting some rain, so maybe it will ease off. Hard to offset "bad" news, though.
Topic starter
09/08/2012 1:12 am
Here is a real low-water on the Lower:
from the AQ's Facebook page today:
American Queen Steamboat Company Schedules are being adjusted so she will remain in Memphis for a few days to avoid the low-water areas of the river which is prmarily to keep from being delayed or stuck behind stranded barges.
14/08/2012 1:51 am
*Low river disrupts AQ cruise*
Steamboating colleagues:
Another of those pesky business B=Mails rolled in here RE: 436 passenger AMERICAN QUEEN unable to keep her 220 mile trip from Memphis to Vicksburg with low water in Memphis. High temperatures, low precipitation affected the water levels in that region.
The present low-water in Memphis mentioned as being just a few feet 'higher' than the record low. The company decided to keep the AQ moored to avoid any groundings. Cruise guests received the option to sped additional time in Memphis, bused to Vicksburg with a complimentary hotel night. Passengers received a $1,000 per stateroom for future trip.
The AQ was schedule to steam out August 11th to steer north. No additional issues expected with water levels on the Ohio and Tennessee controlled with locks and dams. The situation will be monitored day by day. No doubt others on this site [Bob Reynolds, Capt. Bill Judd etc.] may know more.
R. Dale Flick
Summer - shores of Northern Lake Michigan.