fox business network's ashley is live in baton rouge, louisiana. how long could this go on for the people there. >> reporter: it could guy on for many more weeks. we have the crest to move through here. we are in baton rouge, below the area you were just talking about. it could be weeks more before the fast running floodwater on the mississippi. it is hoped with fingers crossed that the levee system will continue to hold. barge traffic along the mississippi is now being allowed again by the coast guard which is vitally important to this region and also the nation's economy. let me give you numbers about the mississippi river. 500 million tons of cargo travel up and down here every year. 600 barges every day moving up and down carrying everything from wheat and corn and soybeans to steel and lumber and coal. each one of these barges, martha can carry up to 70 tractor trailers or 17 rail cars. any disruption in the traffic along the mississippi means a