Topic: Mississippi River

NASA launched the SWOT satellite in December to conduct the first global survey of water levels in rivers and lakes. This data is intended to help industries and farmers plan for changes in river flow, particularly along the Mississippi River where cargo shipments are affected by water levels. NASA aims to provide processed indicators rather than raw data to assist in agricultural irrigation planning.

Low water levels on the Mississippi River are forcing farmers to use more expensive truck transport, potentially driving up food prices. Meanwhile, Senator Mark Kelly described the Western drought as a thousand-year event. In response to energy concerns, there is a growing push toward "green hydrogen" as a replacement for electric vehicles, though critics note hydrogen production currently relies heavily on fossil fuels.

President Biden has proposed moving the nation's power grid, including high-tension wires, underground to increase resiliency against storms. Experts point out that undergrounding is significantly more expensive, harder to repair, and can lead to long-term maintenance issues with water seepage and government permitting.

A producer gifts the hosts a book titled *Mississippi River Tragedies*, which details how the Army Corps of Engineers has impacted the river's ecosystem. The segment concludes with a rapid-fire reading of donors from London, South Africa, Australia, and various US states.

The show concludes with a look at the historic flooding of the Mississippi River and the Army Corps of Engineers' decision to blow up levees. The hosts sign off while acknowledging John's ongoing technical struggles with his Comcast connection.