Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk

12/27/2024

Support trusted reporting on agriculture, water and climate in the Mississippi River Basin! Your gift to the Ag & Water Desk supports 15 reporters across 10 states. Every dollar is matched through Dec. 31—we’re just 5 donations away from unlocking a $1,000 bonus. Donate here:

We are building the next generation of environmental journalists at the Journalism School. Students write stories, participate in training, conduct research, and more.

12/24/2024

Happy holidays from the Ag & Water Desk!

Our editorial director Tegan Wendland put together a Mississippi River reading list to close out the year! 📚 This collection of books highlights stories and voices that shape the Basin—perfect for snuggling up or escaping the holiday hustle.

Some of her favorites:

James by Percival Everett: A stunning retelling of Huck Finn from Jim’s perspective. Spielberg’s movie is coming soon!

The Great River by Boyce Upholt: A historic view of human connection with the river.

Rising Tide by John Barry: A deep dive into the 1927 flood that forever changed the U.S.

Check out the full list and let us know your favorites:

https://agwaterdesk.bluelena.io/index.php?action=social&chash=c9e1074f5b3f9fc8ea15d152add07294.111&s=ee92c7c937c95f6f8a7209f85b1f4b9b

12/20/2024

We've got a special gift for you coming Monday in the newsletter: a Mississippi Basin reading list for the holidays! Sign up here to receive it:

12/11/2024

A cooper is someone who makes barrels for a living. To produce barrels, you need trees—and to ensure trees are available for future barrels, industry leaders are working to protect forests for the next generation.

Learn more about barrel making and conservation from Desk reporter Avery Martinez at partner newsroom KMOV:

By planning which trees will be harvested, and selecting which ones are getting older, landowners can better prepare the forest for a healthier future, according to ISC workers. The lumber that’s selected and taken to the cooperage has been selected for a number of reasons.

12/10/2024

Wild rice is booming in parts of the upper Mississippi River in Wisconsin. Researchers say the precise reasons for the plant’s rapid expansion remain unclear, but improved water quality could be a factor.

Read more from Madeline Heim with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Records show wild rice was common around the turn of the 20th century, but poor water quality caused die-offs in the 1980s. Today, it's making a big return on the river.

12/03/2024

This , support the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk! Executive Director Sara Shipley Hiles shares a special message about what your donations mean to the Desk.

Your donation fuels independent journalism that uncovers solutions and tells the unique stories of the river basin. Donate now: https://mizzougivedirect.missouri.edu/fund.aspx?item_id=915

12/02/2024

For the first time in five years, Mississippi’s public reefs reopened for wild oyster harvesting. Captain Richard Bosarge and his crew aboard the Royster were excited to be back on the water, bringing back a tradition this year that can generate millions for the state’s economy.

Discover the challenges and hope for the future of Mississippi’s oyster industry in Illan Ireland’s story for The Mississippi Free Press:

Mississippi opened its public reefs for a short oyster season for the first time since 2018 after decades of natural and human-made disasters.

11/22/2024

A new report alleges the Environmental Protection Agency hasn’t regulated pollutants in wastewater from plastics plants – including 22 in Louisiana.

11/22/2024

The Ag & Water Desk is participating in , which doubles donations for non-profit newsrooms. We’re aiming for 50 new supporters to earn a $1000 bonus! Every bit counts, and your support helps fund new reporters like Julie Freijat with Kansas City PBS/Flatland, who covers water and sustainability in the heartland.

In a recent Q&A, Julie shared what excites her about this important work, including her interest in green infrastructure and unique experiences like holding an alligator snapping turtle!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DCpbylSSe0W/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

We are building the next generation of environmental journalists at the Journalism School. Students write stories, participate in training, conduct research, and more.

11/21/2024

A salty river is a public health crisis, contaminating drinking water for thousands in southeast Louisiana, and drought conditions make it harder for rainfall to quell the issue

11/20/2024

As Louisiana’s Plaquemines Parish grapples with threats to their water supply for the third consecutive year, many of the region’s leading hydrologists say the Mississippi River Valley needs more than just a temporary fix for this issue. When saltwater intrusion occurs, the only way to push it back out into the Gulf of Mexico is either a shift in long-term weather patterns, or a comprehensive infrastructure solution at the river’s southernmost point. Learn more from Eva Tesfaye with WWNO and Lily Carey with Sierra Magazine.

https://www.wwno.org/coastal-desk/2024-11-19/as-saltwater-flows-up-the-mississippi-river-for-a-third-year-the-region-looks-for-permanent-solutions

11/18/2024

Cities along the Mississippi River are piloting a new type of insurance to help with disaster response after floods and storms. Learn how parametric insurance could offer faster payouts and greater resilience to extreme weather. Story by Delaney Dryfoos with The Lens NOLA and Eric Schmid from St. Louis Public Radio:

At least two New Orleans agencies tested parametric insurance policies during Hurricane Francine – with mixed results.

11/08/2024

11/08/2024

Apprentices on the Standing Rock Reservation, which straddles North and South Dakota, are training to install solar power infrastructure. This initiative brings clean energy to tribal lands, supports workforce development and starts to lay the foundation for the Great Plains tribes’ larger goal of energy sovereignty.

Buffalo’s Fire Tribes reach for sun, start from ground up

11/07/2024

As solar projects spread across the Arkansas Delta, farmers like Chad Raines are experimenting with agrivoltaics – the practice of raising crops or livestock side by side with solar panels. This approach blends agriculture with renewable energy, but can it work with traditional Delta row crops like rice and soybeans? Read more at:

Mississippi River Delta region ripe for on-farm solar production, but must overcome hurdles.

11/06/2024

The Ag & Water Desk supports a team of reporters dedicated to covering agriculture and environmental issues throughout the Mississippi River Basin. Donors like you can help ensure they can do this work. Through NewsMatch, every dollar you give up to $1,000 is doubled, allowing us to share stories that connect communities across 10 states. Support our work today! https://mizzougivedirect.missouri.edu/fund.aspx?item_id=915

11/04/2024

For decades, h**p was banned in the U.S. Now, Lincoln University and other researchers are exploring how it could help combat climate change by sequestering carbon in the soil. 🌱🌎 Read more about this innovative project supported by the USDA’s Climate-Smart Commodities program from and Harshawn Ratanpal.