LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Rain seems to be falling everywhere except Arkansas recently, and the effects have already of that have started to show.
While all of us want the rain to help get us out of this drought, there are some that have to work with what they're given— the Army Corps of Engineers.
Just below the Big Dam Bridge is where part of that work has been for them.
"That's been adding service to the nation ever since it was put into service," said Jay Townsend with the Corps.
That piece is the Murray Lock and Dam— which is bigger than it looks when you're up close, and an even bigger piece of our country.
"Typically big barges, one 15 barge tow is about 1,075 18-wheelers that we're taking off of Interstate 40," Townsend said.
Townsend said that all sorts of things are shipped through the lock every year, so having enough water to keep that system up and running is huge.
"The river's footprint is in Arkansas and Oklahoma, but about 12 states bring goods to the river system and ship it down to the Mississippi, to the Gulf, and around the world," he said.
That's especially true when we look at what the Mississippi River has been experiencing.
"We could compare the Arkansas River to the Mississippi, we've got low water levels here," Townsend said. "But nothing like they're experiencing, right, you keep hearing about historic lows."
National Weather Service data showed that in Memphis, the Mississippi River is about 15 feet below what would even be considered low.
It's not great, but it's not as bad as you might think.
"Even with those historic lows, they still have a navigation channel, and commerce is still coming and going," Townsend said.
Thankfully, the Arkansas River isn't anywhere close to those low levels— ] and Townsend said that it most likely won't get to that point.
"We're not concerned as to whether we'd run out of water very quickly or anything," he said. "The navigation system is still operable, and it's operating as intended."
While it's something they're keeping an eye on, Townsend added that they'll keep on doing what they're doing.
"The Arkansas River is the main artery through the state of Arkansas, the Mississippi is the main artery through the United States," he said. "You've got to keep those things open, shipping lanes open, so that our goods and commerce can be transported around the world."