Salt Water Intrusion in Mississippi River Threatens Gulf States

In October of 2023, the Gulf of Mexico saw an intrusion of salt water, a threat that is arising again. When there are low water levels in the Mississippi River and limited amounts of rain, the salt water from the Gulf of Mexico can move unimpeded into the Mississippi, threatening the industrial and municipal drinking water supplies for the surrounding New Orleans region, as well as southern parts of Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas.

As happened in 2023, the US Army Corps of Engineers began construction last week on a sill barrier, or levee, to prevent the intrusion of salt water from the Gulf into the Mississippi. In this region, construction of a sill is common, as the Army Corps have done similar projects as recently as 2022 and 2023, but as far back as 1988. Although it is not clear whether additional precautions are necessary, officials have stated there are no immediate threats to drinking water in the impacted states.