Experts say the record low Mississippi River levels, which have revealed some interesting finds, are taking a big toll on the economy. Clint Wilson is the director of the LSU Center for River Studies. He says the impact is being felt from Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico. For one thing, he says barges can’t carry full loads.
“You think about taking away one two or three feet of material or goods or whatever on a barge, that has a pretty significant or economic cost to it,” Wilson says.
Agricultural experts say this is having a tremendous impact on the nation’s agricultural community since more than 60 percent of US agricultural exports come down the river on barges. The river south of Baton Rouge is much deeper, but the lower barge traffic is hurting the businesses that service the ports.
“Part of their service they provide is transferring the products from barges to oceangoing ships for exports overseas. It’s a drop in business, so they’re being impacted,” Wilson says.
But even where the river is deeper, he says salt water intrusion from the Gulf of Mexico threatens New Orleans’ drinking water.
Wilson says there’s not much humans can do. He says the forecast is for a drier than usual winter, setting up a situation where the water is not replenished and water levels stay lower.
“What we’re going to see is still lower than average rainfall and snow events,” Wilson says.
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