A.4.3X 2 IBDM (Mississipi Basin)

Question 1

Mississipi Drainage Basin background

Answer 1

Largest drainage basin in the United States, second-longest river in North America, covering more than 1,245,000 square miles.

In the USA, the Mississippi drainage basin produces $54 billion of agricultural products and 92% of the country’s farm exports.

Over half the goods and services consumed by the US are produced with water from the Mississippi drainage basin.

Question 2

America’s Great Watershed Initiative (AGWI)

Answer 2

However, there are threats to the Mississippi and its tributaries.

A project to increase water availability, improve its quality and safeguard its use for future generations.

Question 3

Mississipi Basin as commercial route

Answer 3

One of the USA’s most important commercial routes.

The river carries most of the country’s farm exports and over 60 per cent of the USA’s grain products for global consumption.

However, many of the locks and dams are in relatively poor condition, and there has been a lack of investment in infrastructure.

As facilities deteriorate, delays in transportation of exports will become longer, and some carriers may seek alternative forms of transport and routes

Question 4

Mississipi ground water and surface water demand

Answer 4

Demand for groundwater and surface water will increase as the population increases and standards of living improve.

The growing demand, along with an ageing infrastructure, will increase the pressure on water resources.

Water from the basin provides drinking water for millions of people, and produces 25 percent of the nation’s hydroelectric power.

Demand for water is increasing but the supplies are becoming less reliable or in some cases contaminated.

Question 5

Mississipi wetlands

Answer 5

However, Louisiana’s wetlands account for about 40 percent of the USA’s wetlands but 80 percent of the lost wetlands.

75 square kilometres of Louisiana’s wetlands are lost annually. However, some wetlands are growing.

Construction of dams on the Mississippi river and its tributaries, and raising the levels of the levees, has reduced the amount of sediment that reaches coastal wetlands

Question 6

Mississipi flood risk prevention

Answer 6

The AGWI also attempts to reduce flooding and flood risk.

The threat from flooding increases dramatically when basins lose their natural capacity to store water and when communities or businesses are located in the floodplain.

The risk of flooding in the basin is increasing as developments on the flood plain increase.

Nevertheless, investment in flood control reduced the losses from the 2011 Mississippi floods.