Brackish water creeping up the Mississippi River may threaten Louisiana’s drinking supply

Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — For the third year in a row, Louisiana is constructing an underwater levee in the Mississippi River to slow an influx of salt water from the Gulf of Mexico. Brackish water is creeping up the river, which supplies drinking water for communities including New Orleans. Salt water intrusion in southeast Louisiana has become a regular occurrence in recent years as the mighty flow of the Mississippi has ebbed due to dry conditions. Communities rely on a strong flow from the river to push the Gulf’s salt water back out to sea. State officials said Tuesday they are closely monitoring the situation.