Update: NOAA forecasts that the Mississippi River at Memphis will drop to -10.8 feet on Nov. 1, which would surpass Monday’s record low.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — The Mississippi River has officially reached the lowest point in Memphis, the National Weather Service announced Monday.
The Mississippi River has reached -10.7 feet and is continuing to drop. This beats the previous record of -10.70 feet in 1988.
The low river levels are negatively impacting the agriculture industry in Arkansas and Mississippi. Barges traffic is also being forced to slow down due to the shallow waters, making transporting cargo difficult.
The river level is so low that boats could be seen in the mud at Mud Island’s Harbor Landing Tuesday. A boat owner at the marina told WREG that the boats are built to handle being on dryland but it is an unusual sight in Memphis.
The situation looks even worse at Riverside Marina in McKellar Lake, an arm of the Mississippi River on the south end of Memphis near President’s Island. The photos below were shot Wednesday. No one answered the phone at the marina.
