Haunting Photos Show Mississippi River Water Levels Nearly 11 Feet Below Normal Due To Drought

The Mississippi River is experiencing an extreme drought this year, and water levels have gotten low that barges are unable to pass through. The river is a key shipping channel for the U.S. and obviously very ecologically important, too.

Water levels are nearly 11 feet below normal in some areas.

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The Coast Guard has said in a statement that eight barges in the past months have run aground in the river, and they’ve had to dredge canals and lighten shipping loads to get them through.

Portions of the river have dried so much that areas which were completely underwater are dry and walkable. Other photos have shown marine equipment such as lost ships and other items being discovered as levels lower and clogged up lanes of barges that can’t move forward.

Here’s another photo shared by landscape photographer Virginia Hanusik.

Not only is this stalling ships, but it’s harming communities along the river too. Because of the decreased flow speed, saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico is reaching farther than it normally would.

Saltwater leaked into the drinking water of the Plaquemines Parish neighborhood of Louisiana, which could cause health risks in people with high blood pressure.

These occurrences have unfortunately been all-too-common this year. We’ve been covering the receding levels of Lake Mead, which have revealed both the skeletons of ships and years-old human remains.