Illinois' state climatologist says he believes the worst U.S. drought in decades likely will continue through next year.

Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey says "it's going to be a long, slow recovery from this particular drought." Angel spoke Thursday during a conference in St. Louis about the Mississippi River's future.

More than 60% of the continental U.S. has been gripped by some form of drought since last summer. More than 90% of Nebraska and Oklahoma were hit by extreme or exceptional drought. Those are the two worst classifications.

The drought has withered crops and lowered the Mississippi River's levels to a point that could force slowdowns, if not shutdowns, of barge traffic between St. Louis and Cairo (KEHR'-oh).