( CNN ) -- The backup of boats and barges on a low-water section of the Mississippi River increased Tuesday even as the 11-mile stretch reopened on a limited basis , the U.S. Coast Guard said . New Orleans-based Coast Guard spokesman Ryan Tippets confirmed to CNN that five southbound vessels were able to pass near Greenville , Mississippi , Tuesday afternoon and evening . A limited number of northbound vessels with a draft of no more than 9 feet were being allowed to travel overnight into Wednesday . The stretch was closed Monday to most vessel traffic because of low water levels , idling 97 boats and barges , according to the Coast Guard . That number swelled to nearly 115 on Tuesday , Tippets said . This same area near Greenville , which sees about 50 vessels pass on an average day , has been closed `` intermittently '' since August 12 , when a vessel ran aground , said Tippets . The Army Corps of Engineers has been dredging in the area to deepen the channel and help navigation . A historic drought and excessive heat have reduced water levels and scorched wide sections of the U.S. Midwest . Flooding last year may have worsened the situation on the Mississippi by leaving deposits of silt and debris in areas that would normally be clear . We are `` working to minimize the delay as much as possible and to get these vessels moving , '' Tippets said .
Low water levels have reduced navigation on Mississippi River . Bottleneck has developed near Greenville , Mississippi .