Drought Conditions Drop the Mississippi River to Historic Lows

The shallow water has slowed barge traffic, while opening up typically-submerged areas to explorers.

Months of dry conditions in the Ohio River Valley and along the upper Mississippi basin have dropped the lower Mississippi River to levels that are approaching record lows. The narrowed channels and shallow water have affected barge traffic, making some docks inaccessible, slowing travel, and driving up the cost of freight. In some places, long-lost relics have been discovered, such as an old shipwreck on a riverbank in Louisiana, while in other places people have been able to explore features that are usually surrounded by water.