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MINNEAPOLIS (DTN) -- Dozens of mayors from ten states, as well as global stakeholders, met in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for the 13th annual Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI) meeting to heighten focus along the entire Mississippi River corridor. The meeting was publicized on Zoom and a press release was sent after the meeting ended.

"The MRCTI mayors are gathered here in our great city to heighten attention to the issues that our 105 cities face -- from the source to the mouth of the Mississippi River. We urge the next administration to increase its focus on the river, its impact on the national economy and its continued need for stewardship," said Sharon Weston Broome, mayor of Baton Rouge and host city of the meeting.

Baton Rouge is no stranger to extreme weather events causing issues on the Mississippi River there. According to the National Weather Service, the longest known flood of record on the lower Mississippi River happened from December 2018 through August 2019, with Baton Rouge in flood stage for a record 211 days. The Bonnet Carre Spillway was used for the 13th time in its history, marking the first time it was opened in consecutive years and the fourth time in a single decade -- the most in its history. On May 21, 2019, Baton Rouge experienced its longest duration flood event, surpassing 135 days in flood stage in 1927.

South of Baton Rouge down river in New Orleans, low water conditions are causing saltwater to creep upriver from the Gulf of Mexico, threatening the drinking water supply in southern Louisiana. Many of the communities there rely on fresh water from the Mississippi River, with their water intake treatment facilities right along the river.

"Two years of drought and worsening saltwater intrusion into mine, Mayors Constant's, Mayor Baudier's, and Mayor Billiot's city water supply have reminded us how precious and fragile our freshwater resources are. Fifty cities with a total of 20 million people depend on the Mississippi River for their drinking water," said LaToya Cantrell, mayor of New Orleans. "This supply also fuels over $400 billion in annual revenue for our corridor region for manufacturing, agriculture and tourism. There is no mechanism to incentivize or compensate manufacturers or farmers that recycle water or reduce intake during dry periods. These are not difficult policy adjustments to make. We stand ready to work with the White House to make our economy more resilient and adopt national drought policy."

In a Sept. 16 news release, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, said they began construction of an underwater sill across the bed of the Mississippi River channel to arrest further upriver progression of saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico.

"USACE awarded a contract to Weeks Marine for construction of the saltwater sill at approximately River Mile 64 near Myrtle Grove, Louisiana. The initial phase of construction will build the sill to an elevation of -55 feet. At that height, USACE will monitor progression of the saltwater wedge to determine if additional height is needed to meet the saltwater intrusion mitigation requirements," the news release stated.

USACE constructed a similar underwater sill in 1988, 1999, 2012, 2022 and 2023 at River Mile 64, near Myrtle Grove, to arrest the progression of saltwater intrusion during that year's low water season. https://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/…

MISSISSIPPI RIVER PORTS ENTER INTO COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT

Mayors representing ports along the Mississippi River also gathered in support of a new endeavor to ensure the ports from St. Louis to St. Paul have federal designation.

"Nearly $1 trillion in product moves through our ports annually. Six economies operating on the river depend on our ports, including two of the top three -- manufacturing and agriculture. Yet, many of the ports from St. Louis to St. Paul lack federal recognition. MRCTI has been supporting an effort to change this dynamic. Our cities lent support to the ports of the entire Mississippi River to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement," said Brad Bark, mayor of Muscatine, Iowa and MRCTI treasurer.

"The Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between our inland ports in the heart of the Corn Belt and our supporting coastal ports in Louisiana is one of the most unifying commerce-related actions taken in the history of the Mississippi River. MRCTI has been an inspiration for us in strengthening partnerships from one end of our river to the other," said Robert Sinkler, executive coordinating director at Corn Belt Ports.

Belinda Constant, mayor of Gretna, Louisiana, and MRCTI Louisiana state chair, said, "We're in an important moment as we approach the next presidential election. 2022, 2023 and 2024 have brought reoccurring challenges for our 10-state corridor that have resulted in repetitive losses and seemingly simple solutions continue to evade notice. We are sending a message to the next U.S. president."

Link to saltwater wedges timeline: https://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/…

Water level in St. Louis, Missouri: https://water.noaa.gov/…

Water level in Memphis, Tennessee: https://water.noaa.gov/…

Water level in New Orleans, Louisiana: https://water.noaa.gov/…

Mary Kennedy can be reached at Mary.Kennedy@dtn.com

Follow her on social platform X @MaryCKenn

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