What Happens If the Mississippi Runs Dry?

By Tim Wall, Discovery News
The Mississippi River may soon be too shallow for barge shipping, which could hurt international trade and cause increases in domestic energy and food costs. Switching to other shipping methods could increase pollution.

However, there may be a bright side: drought and reduced traffic on the desiccated rivers may benefit wildlife in the long run.

Last Friday, the Army Corps of Engineers began reducing the flow of water into the Missouri River from the Gavins Point Dam in South Dakota because of the continuing drought in the central United States. The Missouri is a major tributary of the Mississippi River, which means reduced flow in the Missouri results in a further drop in water levels on the Mississippi.

A crucial point in the river between St. Louis, Mo. and Cairo, Il. may become impassible by approximately December 10, according to a press release from the American Waterways Operators and the Waterways Council Inc., two organizations representing river shipping industry interests.

Trade in some of the most important commodities in America, such as coal and grain, stand to suffer from the stoppage of transport on America’s main aquatic artery.

“For the coal that travels on the Mississippi, there could be impacts and delays in getting it to consumers in a timely way,” Debra Colbert, senior vice president of Waterways Council, Inc., told Discovery News. “It will cost more to ship it by rail and or truck and consumers will pay more for heating and electricity as a result.”

The exact effect on prices is impossible to estimate at this point, Colbert said. Delays would affect 3.8 million tons of coal, according to the shipping organizations’ press release. Five million barrels of crude oil would be delayed, which may necessitate the import of $545 million worth of foreign crude. All together, $7 billion in commodities may be delayed.

Delays and cost increases in American grain shipments could affect the global food supply.

“River barge shipping is all geared to moving bulk grain exports for [livestock] feed uses overseas,” said Bruce Abbe, executive director of the Midwest Shippers Association. ” A huge share of the global market is served by American agriculture. Barge or water shipping is considered the most cost efficient means for moving large quantities of bulk grains.

Switching to rail and truck transport will affect American farmers incomes and global consumer prices, Abbe noted.

“Cost will go up overall, for export customers and for suppliers here,” said Abbe.

Along with increased costs, increased shipping via rail and truck also results in more pollution.