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Mississippi River traffic halted as vessels run aground

The Mississippi River was closed to traffic at two locations on Thursday as barge tows ran aground near Greenville, Arkansas, and La Crosse, Wisconsin, due to low water amid the worst U.S. drought in 56 years, private and government sources said. It was unclear when the key shipping waterway might be reopened to commercial traffic, they said. The Bootsie B towboat was pushing 13 empty barges and 15 barges loaded with fertilizer and salt when they ran aground at mile marker 525 near Greenville, said Petty Officer Ryan Tippets of the U.S. Coast Guard's 8th district external affairs division. The vessels have been refloated and there were no reports of injuries or pollution. Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-drought-bargesbre8711kc-20120802,0,5680920.story