What is happening to the Mississippi river?

Saltwater creeping up Mississippi River threatens New Orleans water supply. Ad Feedback. A saltwater wedge is inching up the Mississippi River, threatening drinking water supplies in the New Orleans area. CNN's Bill Weir explains what's happening and how the climate crisis helped fuel the phenomenon.



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A shrinking river is hurting people and the economy in a variety of ways. Barges can't operate on the river to get goods to market. Drinking water may also be at risk – for example, salt water moving upriver from the Gulf of Mexico could impact drinking water supplies in parts of Louisiana.

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In some places, last year was the lowest the Mississippi River had fallen in nearly 35 years. Much of the basin is experiencing extreme drought again this year. “Unfortunately, we are watching a movie sequel that none of us want to watch,” said Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition.

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The Colorado River is drying up due to a combination of chronic overuse of water resources and a historic drought. The dry period has lasted more than two decades, spurred by a warming climate primarily due to humans burning fossil fuels.

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Seven states and 30 Native American tribes lie in the Colorado River Basin. As we first reported in 2021, the river has been running dry due to the historically severe drought. The majestic, meandering Colorado River that cut through these red cliffs, carving the Grand Canyon, is a wonder of nature and human ingenuity.

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What happens if Lake Mead dries up forever? If Lake Mead were to run out of water, the Hoover Dam would no longer be able to generate power or provide water to surrounding cities and farms. The Colorado River would essentially stop flowing, and the Southwest would be in a major water crisis.

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Cultural health, sacred places, and traditional food sources are threatened along the Colorado River's Grand Canyon, Alaska's Chilkat River, and Washington's Snake River.

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The drought crisis that grounded barges and unearthed fossils may finally be over. The US Army Corps of Engineers has been dredging the Mississippi River 24/7 since July. Drought along the Mississippi has dropped water levels to lows that haven't been seen in a decade.

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Over the years, a proposed solution has come up again and again: large-scale water diversions, including pumping Mississippi River water to the parched west.

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The Mississippi River is flowing at its lowest level in at least a decade, and until rain relieves a worsening drought in the region, it's becoming increasingly difficult to maintain water levels high enough to carry critical exports from the nation's bread basket.

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