Topline
Drought conditions across much of the central U.S. have plunged the Mississippi River’s water levels to new record lows, prompting concerns about supply chain issues due to a slowdown in barge traffic but also curiosity over discoveries being made on newly exposed land.
Treasure hunters comb the shoreline of the Mississippi River after it was exposed by low water … [+]
Key Facts
The river fell to a new record low of 10.81 feet below sea level in Memphis, Tennessee, early Saturday morning, with gauges across much of the South and Midwest also reporting historically low water levels.
There is no relief in sight, according to the National Weather Service, which predicts river levels will remain at or near record lows at least through early November as a drought persists across a huge swath of the central United States.
The low water levels are also causing barge backups across much of the river, driving up shipping costs, while some barges have even run aground.
Nearly all corn and soybean products, and half of all wheat, that moves by barge in the U.S. travels through the Mississippi River, according to the Farm Bureau, and the river is a major transport route for crude oil and coal.
The low water levels have also uncovered some mysterious finds, like the remains of a shipwrecked ferry in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, which was destroyed by a hurricane in 1915 (there are no plans to salvage the century-old vessel).
Discarded cars have also washed up in the exposed river bed south of Memphis, and human bones have been found in Coahoma County, Mississippi.
Crucial Quote
“America is going to shut down if we shut down,” Mike Ellis, CEO of Indiana-based American Commercial Barge Line, told the Wall Street Journal.
A boat rests in mud at Riverside Park Marina on Wednesday in Memphis, Tennessee.
Exposed ground is seen in a dried up river bed where the normally wide Mississippi River would flow … [+]
The remains of a ship lays on the banks of the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on … [+]
Debris is exposed by low water levels along the Mississippi River on Tuesday near Portageville, … [+]
The Diamond Lady riverboat, rests in mud at Riverside Park Marina along the Mississippi River on … [+]
The remains of a fish rest in mud at Riverside Park Marina along the Mississippi River on Wednesday … [+]
Randy Statler sits on a rock as he watches as people walk to Tower Rock, an attraction normally … [+]
In this photo taken by a drone, debris sits in a dried up river bed where the Mississippi River … [+]
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/10/22/mississippi-river-or-a-desert-photos-show-stunning-impact-of-record-low-water-levels/