High waters are forcing a change of plans for crossing the James River in Yankton County, South Dakota, United States.

TransCanada spokesman Jeff Rauh told local news that a crew that had been based in Aberdeen has moved south. Much of the work is in Beadle and Kingsbury counties, and Mr Rauh said that workers will finish in Hutchinson County by the end of 2009.

Mr Rauh said the shift shouldn’t delay the project.

The $US5.2 billion pipeline will carry crude oil 3,457 km from Canada to refineries in Kansas, Oklahoma and Illinois.