Managing the Mississippi River Basin at a state level is like making a movie without the director, writers, and actors talking to each other. Despite being the largest watershed in the country, the Mississippi River Basin has no comprehensive restoration program.
The watershed of the Mississippi River spans 31 states and two Canadian provinces. Credit: EPA 2015.
The Mississippi River and its tributaries are an extraordinary resource — it provides drinking water, supports a $400B economy, sustains wildlife habitats, enables transportation, and fuels recreation. But its health is rapidly deteriorating. The watershed’s declining health has real-world impacts on people, communities, and local economies:
- Barge shipments halted due to low water with extensive flooding in other areas.
- Invasive carp are destroying native fish habitats and threatening fisheries.
- Des Moines’ water bills have doubled due to nitrate contamination.
- Kansas’s 2023 wheat harvest was the worst in over 50 years.
- Iowa recorded 134 E. coli beach warnings last year — families had to cancel beach plans multiple times.
- Mississippi sees $152 million in lost tourism revenue each year due to bacteria-related beach closures.
These problems are interconnected. Fixing them requires science-based, coordinated action within a whole basin governance framework for restoration. There have been many proposed programs over the years that EDF has supported. The science strategy is like a shopping list — it would help an ecosystem restoration program avoid waste and stay focused on what matters. It is a tool that can be used to help guide decisions that will lead to positive environmental outcomes. It will help identify goals, synthesize existing data, and fill knowledge gaps while ensuring smart investment of time and resources.
The Chesapeake Bay and Great Lakes restoration efforts used similar science informed decision making — they focused on shared goals like improving fish habitat and restoring seagrass, which resonated with all interested parties. What we learned from experts working in the Basin and on these large-scale restoration programs is compiled in the Science Strategy report.
We already have the pieces — now we need coordination and leadership. The scientists interviewed have suggested recommendations, some of which can be started now like forming a Mississippi River Science Team to share research and publish a “State of the Basin” report. However, to be successful in the long term this science strategy must be incorporated in a watershed governance program built on trust, accountability, and inclusive partnerships. Farmers, fishers, local leaders, and industries must be part of the solution.
EDF is working with the Mississippi River Watershed Partnership, which is forming the necessary connections among a variety of interested parties. The Mississippi River is in crisis — but we can reverse the trend. A science strategy as part of an ecosystem restoration program in the Mississippi River Basin will not only enhance ecological health but also provide long-term economic and social benefits, ensuring the sustainability of this vital resource for generations to come.
