This threatens both the country's international supply chain and national drinking water access.
AdvertisementAdvertisementA long stretch of drought in the Midwest has caused the Mississippi River to drop to abnormally low levels.
Kevin Dietsch/Staff/Getty ImagesProblem two: Louisiana's drinking water is at stakeAn estimated 18 million people get their drinking water from the Mississippi.
For example, it's contaminated the drinking water of roughly 23,515 residents in Plaquemines Parish where residents are advised to only drink bottled water.
These aren't permanent solutions, but they buy local communities precious time to prepare to find alternate drinking water sources, Roe added.
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