Mississippi River

Legal agreements govern the Great Lakes and some river systems in the U.S., but the Mississippi River doesn’t have a compact. Some mayors on the waterway think it’s time to change that.

The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is the core of a major flyway for migrating birds and one of the most visited refuges in the U.S. Anglers and outdoor enthusiasts saved it from being drained 100 years ago, but the next century brings new challenges.

Midwest states are spending millions to manage invasive carp in rivers and lakes. If left unchecked, conservation experts say the fish could wreak havoc on local ecosystems and fishing industries.

Decades of data show nitrate levels in rivers often drop during dry years and spike when rain returns. Experts say more conservation practices in and around farm fields could help smooth out the sharp peaks to protect drinking water and downstream impacts.

River barges are an efficient way to move crops — 15 barges can hold about as much grain as 1,000 semi-trucks. But low river levels are driving up transportation costs for Midwest farmers.

Sluggish progress on reducing nutrient runoff into the Bay marks an inconvenient truth, but offers lessons for others seeking to clean their watersheds.

Worsening local effects on health and recreation in states like Minnesota and Wisconsin are spurring action on problems that also cause the Gulf of Mexico’s chronic “dead zone.”

Climate change means communities along the Mississippi River are experiencing longer and higher floods in springtime, flash flooding from heavy rains, as well as prolonged droughts. Now cities along the river are turning to each other for solutions.

Back-to-back years of drought have left the Mississippi River's water levels low. It's part of more frequent extremes on the river, which affects the barge industry and farmers who need to ship their grain.

It’s a newer consideration for environmentalists, who previously thought that river systems were relatively benign and don’t contribute many greenhouse gas emissions.

Dryness in the Great Plains began spreading east this year, affecting much of the Midwest and endangering crops, livestock and river shipping. Recent rains have been a god-send, but will it be enough to loosen the years-long drought?

A growing legal movement to grant natural entities like rivers and forests legal rights is gaining traction in the U.S., and environmentalists are now setting their sights on the Mississippi River.