Saltwater intrusion in Mississippi River could impact drinking water in Louisiana, officials say
A saltwater intrusion in the Mississippi River poses a threat to Louisiana's water supply. The river has low water levels due to drought conditions allowing an intrusion. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has signed an emergency declaration over an intrusion of salt water into the Mississippi River that officials say could impact the water supply in the region. "We will continue to work with our partners locally and state-wide as we closely monitor this situation," Cantrell wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. Officials said weather forecasts indicate that river volume will fall to historic lows in the next several weeks. As a result, saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico is intruding upstream in Louisiana. "Plaquemines Parish has been affected by this issue since June. Drought conditions have only gotten worse since that time, which means additional communities along the Mississippi River could be impacted," Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a statemen...