Low water closes the Dorena–Hickman ferry across the Mississippi

WorkBoat reported on 29 October 2026 that low water on the Mississippi River has forced the Dorena–Hickman ferry out of service again. The ferry suspended operations on Wednesday 28 October as river levels continued falling at Hickman, Kentucky.

The National Weather Service reported the Mississippi River at about 5.1 feet at Hickman early Wednesday, down roughly 1.7 feet over the previous 24 hours. The river remained on a downward trend on Thursday, with forecasts calling for levels to fall to about 3.2 feet by 2 November.

The ferry crosses the Mississippi at navigation mile 922, connecting KY 1354 at Hickman with Missouri Route A and Route 77 near Dorena, Missouri. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has described the ferry as a critical transportation link for commuters, farmers and other travellers. Kentucky and Missouri share a border but have no road or bridge directly connecting them, so the ferry is the only direct route between the two states.

The Mississippi County Port Authority operates the ferry. Officials have not publicly identified the exact river level required for service to resume. As of Thursday afternoon, 29 October, no reopening had been announced.

The ferry closed because of low river levels from 27 December to 2 January and again from 8 January to 12 January. Another low-water closure occurred in early September. Operations have also been interrupted by high winds, maintenance, mechanical problems and dredging.