"Saltwater Intrusion Crisis Prompts Massive Freshwater Barging and Emergency Declarations in Louisiana"

The US Army Corps of Engineers plans to barge 36 million gallons of freshwater daily into the lower Mississippi River near New Orleans to combat saltwater intrusion threatening the area's drinking water supply. Water levels are dropping due to extreme drought, allowing ocean water to push north into the drinking water systems. To mitigate the intrusion, the state and the Army Corps of Engineers are adding height to an underwater levee and will transport millions of gallons of water daily to local treatment facilities. The Mississippi River is expected to reach historic lows, exacerbating the problem. The governor announced plans to deliver bottled water to the area, but there is no shortage of bottled water in the state or country.