Water quality, flooding mean low grade for major watershed

O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — A new report card gives a low grade to the Mississippi River Watershed and cites a need for billions of dollars in new spending to address concerns like flooding and water quality involving the nation’s largest rivers.

America’s Watershed Initiative on Tuesday released its first report since it gave the watershed a D+ grade in 2015.

The 2020 report is only a slight improvement, to a C-.

At issue is the watershed that includes the Mississippi River and its tributaries — the Missouri, Tennessee and Ohio rivers and others.

All told, the system covers two-fifths of the continental U.S. and 31 states.