The Desk welcomes new assistant editorial director and data journalist
Two new additions to the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk bring expertise in science journalism.
A journalism collaborative covering the nation's largest watershed
The mission of the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk is to enhance the quantity, quality and impact of journalism on agriculture, water and related issues throughout the basin.
Publish our stories for free in your news outlet
Editors can sign up to republish and repurpose all of our collaborative journalism for free. We put out typically at least one story a week and, in the future, hope to create more spaces for our network to collaborate with each other better.
Latest stories
The Desk welcomes new assistant editorial director and data journalist
Two new additions to the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk bring expertise in science journalism.
Whooping cranes are on the cusp of a comeback story. Could a Trump policy change the ending?
A program in Louisiana aims to be a model for endangered species preservation as protections for habitats are scaled back.
Scientists find smaller ‘dead zone’ in the Gulf than initially expected this summer
At approximately 1,332 square miles, the low oxygen area is the second-smallest in four decades of measurement
Reporting from the headwaters to the delta
The Mississippi River and its tributaries drain water from nearly half of the continental U.S. into the Gulf of Mexico. This basin powers commerce, provides drinking water to millions and defines the region’s character.
Ag & Water Desk journalists cover the basin from local newsrooms across the country, in partnership with Report for America.
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Latest
In rural communities, fears amplified by ‘AI slop’ and social media hamper solar boom
Solar panel misinformation, spread by bots and by neighbors, derailed a project in Cajun Country that promised millions in local tax revenue. The same methods are being employed nationwide.
Tourism, entertainment give towns along Mississippi River a reboot
The Great River Road, an artery running from Minnesota to Louisiana, is providing a lifeline to small towns
Census model: More than 800K Mississippi River basin households may not have access to air conditioning
Amid dangerous heat, resources for those without air conditioning vary at the local level
China resumes U.S. soybean purchases under trade deal with Trump, but future for farmers remains ‘daunting’
Exports to China, the United States’ largest soybean buyer, still lag previous years
This summer’s ‘dead zone’ in the Gulf will be larger than average, but task force claims progress is being made
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expects the oxygen-depleted zone to be about the size of the state of New Jersey
Here’s what communities can do when data centers arrive
We interviewed more than 50 experts to create a community toolkit. It lays out how ordinary people can respond — and how communities can prepare to handle projects beforehand.
Ag & Water Desk
How do you fix a backwards river? A conversation from the banks of the Chicago
The Ag & Water Desk recently asked a leader of Chicago’s water district and an environmental activist about the consequences of reversing the Chicago River in 1900. They shared their thoughts during the Society of Environmental Journalists’ annual conference.
Six newsrooms join Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk to expand environmental coverage
Collaborative journalism network adds outlets from Minnesota to Louisiana, strengthening critical reporting in the nation’s largest watershed. Journalists can apply for these positions now.
Ag & Water Desk launches annual fundraising campaign
Help fund the important local news and information the Desk provides.
Down the Drain: A new series on wetlands by the Ag & Water Desk
Our latest collaborative project, free to republish, explores recent legal and policy changes impacting wetlands, and the many ways people interact with these landscapes in the Mississippi River Basin.
News & Updates
The Desk welcomes new assistant editorial director and data journalist
Two new additions to the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk bring expertise in science journalism.
How do you fix a backwards river? A conversation from the banks of the Chicago
The Ag & Water Desk recently asked a leader of Chicago’s water district and an environmental activist about the consequences of reversing the Chicago River in 1900. They shared their thoughts during the Society of Environmental Journalists’ annual conference.
Announcing our wetlands photo contest winners!
As part of the Desk collaborative project, "Down the Drain," we asked readers to submit wetlands images for a photography contest.
DEADLINE EXTENDED: Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk launches its first-ever photo contest
The Desk is opening submissions for its Wetlands photo contest for the first time.
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