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Illinois Watching Mississippi Water Levels

Illinois government is keeping a close eye on conditions along the Mississippi River. Governor Pat Quinn says he's working "night and day" with other top Illinois leaders on ways to address the critically low water levels on the river.

“We’ve asked the Army Corps of Engineers to initiate immediately blasting and dredging to help make the river a little deeper,” Quinn said Thursday.

The river covers hundreds of miles of the state's border and is important to agriculture in Illinois, particularly because many of the state's products are transported on the river.

The nation's worst drought in decades has led to low levels. If they worsen, barge operators fear the waterway could become impassable.

Quinn says he continues to work with U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin on solutions.