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You Can See the Mississippi Drying Up From Space

You probably can't tell from looking at it, but that little stream up there is the mighty Mississippi, a river once so grand that an explorer "is now famous":http://www.pkmeco.com/seinfeld/boyfrnd.htm for happening to run into it. In this "new NASA...

You probably can’t tell from looking at it, but that little stream up there is the mighty Mississippi, a river once so grand that an explorer is now famous for happening to run into it. In this new NASA satellite photo, though, it looks more like a sad gonorrheal trickle.

The image above was taken this month—note the gaping dry patches, the newly exposed sand bars—at time when the river is nearing record lows. Now, cast your gaze below, at a satellite image taken last year at around the same time:

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Notice the difference? Besides the wider river, the coloration is darker — above, it’s a silty brown — indicating greater depth, of course. So what gives? NASA explains that “On August 17, 2012, water levels in the Memphis region were 2.4 to 8.3 feet below river stage. At the time of the August 2011 image, the river was 11.7 feet above river stage.”

The declining river levels, which NASA says have hit a record low in some parts, are due to the extreme weather that’s slammed the United States this summer. The also-record-breaking heat and extraordinary droughts—the reason 62% of the nation is currently still in a declared state of emergency—have hobbled the Mississippi. And an important part of the southern economy along with it.

NASA points out that the “reduced river flow in 2012 has translated into millions of dollars in extra shipping costs, as the loss of just one inch of draft means that a barge can carry 17 tons less than it otherwise would. The result is decreased shipping capacity.”

In the spring of 2011, it was the opposite—rampant rainfall and flooding in the region led to some of its highest-recorded levels. The river’s bipolar behavior actually illustrates the seemingly schizophrenic impacts of climate change rather well: warmer air carries more water vapor, so global warming means more downpour in the rainy season. But the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is also, of course, causing temperatures to rise, which leads to more frequent heat wavers and drier summers.

And we’re in the middle of one of the driest summers in US history. Besides the shriveled river, we’ve had record wildfires, spiking corn prices, and drought up the ass. In other words, it’s a fine summer to take a disaster tour of climate change.

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