Prolonged drought is jeopardizing waterborne trade along the Mississippi River, a basin that produces 92% of the nation’s agricultural exports.
As of Friday, the river was still closed near Stack Island, Mississippi, and Memphis, Tennessee. That has resulted in a backup of more than 2,000 barges at various points, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Dredging activities are currently paused, and officials plan to reopen the waterway with restrictions when it has been determined safe to do so.
The Mississippi River is no stranger to hard times. In 2012, for instance, the Great Plains drought led to $35 billion in losses for the U.S., including closing the river on at least three occasions. In 2020, the total value of domestic commerce that moved from Minneapolis to the mouth of the river was almost $70 billion, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
