Mississippi River Communities Are Threatened by the River’s Alarmingly Low Water Level

Due to weeks of drought, the Mississippi River is so low in some places that barge transportation is restricted just as crop harvesting is starting.

In the upcoming days, Caruthersville, Missouri, and Osceola, Arkansas may experience record-low water levels along the Mississippi River.

Water Scarcity

(Photo : Jonny Gios/Unsplash)

Our globe is 70% covered by water, therefore it is natural to assume that there would always be a bountiful supply. Freshwater, which we need to drink, bathe with, and irrigate our farms, is exceedingly scarce, as per WWF.

Fresh water makes up only 3% of the world's total water supply, and two-thirds of that amount is hidden in frozen glaciers or inaccessible to humans in other ways.

A total of 2.7 billion people worldwide experience water scarcity for at least a month of the year, while around 1.1 billion people lack access to water.

For 2.4 billion people, poor sanitation is an issue since it exposes them to cholera, typhoid fever, as well as other water-borne diseases. Every year, two million people, mostly children, die from diarrheal illnesses alone.

Numerous water systems that support vibrant ecosystems and a growing human population are under stress. As a result of pollution or drying up, rivers, lakes, and aquifers are becoming unusable.

The world's wetlands have been reduced by more than half. More water than from any other source is used by agriculture, and much of it is wasted due to inefficiencies.

Water and weather patterns are changing because of climate change, resulting in scarcity and droughts in some regions and flooding in others.

If consumption keeps increasing at the rate it is, the situation will only become worse. Two-thirds of the world's population could experience water shortages by 2025. Additionally, ecosystems all over the world will suffer more.

Read More: Mississippi Governor, President Biden Declare State of Emergency Over Growing Jackson Water Crisis

Mississippi River's low water level

Poor timing prevails. Barges are essential for transporting the early-fall harvested crops of corn and soybeans from one location to another, as per Insurance Journal.

representatives of the U.S. According to the Army Corps of Engineers, tows can often move 36 barges at once. Shippers have willingly decided to reduce that to 25 barges due to the extremely low water level.

The 1,890 grain barges unloaded in New Orleans since September 1 has been 39% less than the five-year average, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Grain Transportation Report.

Three months of generally dry weather in the basin from St. Louis southward are expected to continue, together with warmer-than-average temperatures.

Lance Engle, dredging project manager for the Corps in St. Louis, stated that despite the low Mississippi River, there is no proof that barges or other vessels had grounded.

The Missouri River, which feeds into the Mississippi north of St. Louis, has not yet been necessitated to close at any points, but Joan Stemler, the Corps of Engineers' chief of water control operations in St. Louis, issued a warning that if drought conditions persist, the Mississippi may drop up to 3 feet.

The level of the river was so low, according to Corps authorities in Louisiana, that salt water from the Gulf of Mexico was advancing more slowly than typical into New Orleans and endangering the city's drinking water on Wednesday.

To stop the heavier wedge of salt water from entering water treatment facilities, the Corps proposes to build an underwater barrier.

According to a statement from the Kentucky Transportation Department, it is challenging for cars to load and unload from the Dorena-Hickman Ferry at both landings whenever the river is too low.

Related Article: Mississippi Delta Marshes May Soon Be Gone Due to Climate Change