A look into the crucial role of the Mississippi Basin

Published: Oct 16, 2023

To celebrate this year's World Food Day theme of water conservation, Eric Snodgrass dives into the history and importance of the Mississippi River Basin and explores the current drought in the area.

As part of this year’s World Food Day emphasis on the importance of water, Eric Snodgrass, Nutrien’s Principal Atmospheric Scientist, dives into what makes The Mississippi Basin one of the world’s largest bread baskets.

The Mississippi Basin is the largest system of freshwater moving across a continent on the globe and 40 percent of drainage from the US travels throughout the network of fresh water, dumping out into the Gulf of Mexico. Due to the rich soil found surrounding the Mississippi Basin, the body of water has played an integral role in agricultural history.

The basin also allows products to be imported and exported from the center of North America to and from the rest of the world. However, recent droughts have brought the Mississippi Basin to historically low water levels, which makes it difficult for transport barges to travel through the river network to the Gulf of Mexico.

Check out this video from Eric to learn more about the historical significance of the basin, the vital role the Mississippi Basin plays in global trade today, and how drought is affecting the once easily navigable body of water.