Historic droughts have made it impossible for barges to float the Mississippi River. Currently, the Mighty Mississippi is so low that it is impassable.
In the first week of October 2022, there are 150 vessels and 2,250 barges waiting to travel the Mississippi around Memphis and Vicksburg. The jams just continue with no solutions. The region is undergoing a severe and abnormal drought. From Minnesota to Louisiana, the entire area has received below-average rainfall which is causing the river to dry up.
Mississippi Rivers Drought Causes Supply Chain Holdups
Currently, researchers are calling the drought ‘atypical.’ Similar droughts occur every decade or so. The Mississippi levels were reduced in 2012 and again in 1988.
Unlike previous droughts, this one is occurring much earlier which is cause for concern. Researchers believe the Mississippi will become much worse before it gets better which causes a coordination nightmare for shipping companies.
The Minnesota drought started in 2021 and has been getting progressively worse.
Understanding the Mississippi River Trade Route
The Mississippi river is a major trade route. At this time, farmers start to export their grains down the river where the containers are loaded for export in New Orleans and make their way into the Gulf of Mexico. Also, gravel, fuel, and cement are all regularly transported up and down the Mississippi.
With ships unable to move goods on the Mississippi, there are going to be severe supply chain delays for goods well into the near future until the river returns to its normal height so that ships can again traverse the expanse.
The river’s water levels will continue to recede. Most of the Mississippi maintains its water in sub-basins which are scattered along the river’s expanse. Now those areas are shut off with water. Even when drought is not a reality, the water naturally starts to reside in November so this year it’s going to be even direr.
If the Mississippi’s trade route continues to be impassable then the impact is going to be severe for water resources, commerce, hydrology, and engineering. The entire economy is going to take a severe blow. Most consider the supply chain already worse so being unable to move goods along the Mississippi is going to cause problems for commerce and the economy.
