[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

It’s as though these folks have never heard of the Dust Bowl. And the Mississippi River is at one of its lowest levels in recorded history, snarling barge traffic, but it was also so afflicted in 1988.

[Paul R.]

True. But, poor agricultural practices leading into the Dust Bowl DID reduce retained soil moisture, which in turn tends to intensify and prolong droughts - the well known "drought begets drought" pattern. Humans can cause at last regional climate swings to worsen or in some cases be buffered. One has to look at these things on a case by case basis w/o prejudice.

Incidentally, as I was not too far away, I stopped by the Olmsted Lock and Dam on the Ohio River, but on the KY side, a few days ago. Even the Ohio River really is very low, as low as I can recall. Dredging at Paducah (I pass every week or two, where I-24 goes over the Ohio River) has been ongoing at a furious rate recently. If the ACE can't keep the Ohio open, that's another big hit to transportation costs.