The Hargrove Bridge was constructed a century ago on a swivel to allow steamboat traffic down the Black River between Poplar Bluff and Arkansas.
It can be difficult today for a small johnboat to make the same trip at summer water levels, as downed trees, limbs and other debris create a maze of obstructions for miles.
The logjams contribute to flooded roads and farm land, as well as levee breaches in southern Butler County, presiding commissioner Vince Lampe said during a recent boat trip with Kyle Aubuchon, a field representative for U.S. Rep. Jason Smith.
"In my opinion, we need a federal mandate," said Lampe, who was joined on the trip by western district commissioner Boots LeGrand.
Lampe, LeGrand and eastern district commissioner Butch Anderson have reached out to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and local representatives in recent years to try to find a solution to the problem.
Commissioners said in 2016 it could take as much as $2 million to remove logjams from a nearly 35-mile section of the river, money officials say the county does not have.
Aubuchon said he would share what he saw and learned with Smith, and discuss the path forward.
This is an issue with a regional impact, and it would be great to see more use of the Black River, Aubuchon said.
Access to the river during low water levels can be difficult, said Missouri State Highway Patrol Corp. Richie Ayers. Members of the MSHP were asked to participate in the boat trip, as well as a levee district member.
GPS coordinates are saved by the MSHP for any areas that allow access, explained Ayers, who drove one of two boats used for the trip.
Boats were able to travel from the Dan River Access to the Hargrove Bridge because levels were 6 feet higher than normal, Lampe explained.
"If the water were not up, you wouldn't be able to go very far down here," he said.
At a normal 3-foot river stage, troopers have to stop at large obstructions, take boats out of the river, and find a place to re-enter, Ayers said. This can be difficult because of the high banks, he explained.
The patrol also has to rely on helicopters for areas that cannot be navigated, Ayers said.
Aubuchon had questions about the Corps, levees and surrounding land use during the trip.
The Corps used snag boats to maintain a navigable stream prior to 1942, according to a document on the Hargrove Bridge filed with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. This stopped after river traffic slowed in the area.
The Corps and the county last partnered in 1993 to complete a clean out project. The Corps has said it turned the river channel over to county officials after that date for operation and maintenance.