Flooding on the Mississippi River could cost the U.S. economy millions. The Mississippi River is a major highway of commerce, but the recent flooding has forced the Coast Guard to carefully monitor barge traffic. On a 15-mile stretch of the river, barges can only pass one at a time and at the slowest speed possible. Officials are worried the wakes generated by the barges could increase the strain on the levees and send waves into already flooded communities. Mayor Jake Middleton, mayor of Natchez, Mississippi discusses the effects of the flood on his community.
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