Drought Threatens to Snarl Mississippi River Traffic for a Third Year.

The Mississippi River is facing the possibility of bottlenecks for the third consecutive year due to warm, dry spring weather and low winter snowpack, which limit the amount of water flowing into it, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The agency's Spring Outlook report states that the US will experience warmer-than-average spring temperatures from April to June, with no major flooding risks for the first time since 2021. However, drought conditions are expected to persist or worsen in parts of the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains. The Mississippi River is a crucial transportation route for over a trillion pounds of freight annually, including 92% of US agricultural exports, but it is increasingly vulnerable to climate change. While it is uncertain what will happen to water levels later in the year, experts from NOAA emphasize the need for ongoing monitoring. [Extracted from the article]