Shallow waters

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BY THE NUMBERS | A lingering drought is wreaking havoc and draining the river shipping industry

Illustration by Krieg Barrie

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-10.79 feet

The water level on the Mississippi River in Memphis on Oct. 17, according to the National Weather Service. Drought in the Midwest and Mid-South has left the Mississippi at record-low levels, threatening the transport of the nearly $130 billion in goods that move along the river each year.

500 million tons

The weight of the cargo transported up and down the Mississippi River every year, according to the Port of New Orleans.

8

The number of barges that ran aground in the Mississippi during the first week of October, bringing traffic to a halt, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

2,000

The estimated number of barges caught in a traffic jam created by stuck vessels and waterway closures.

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