In the latest dystopian news, a saltwater "wedge" creeping up the Mississippi River threatens to contaminate New Orleans' water supply.
The salt intrusion from the Gulf of Mexico is scheduled to arrive in a few weeks, rendering the water unsafe for drinking, showering, and sprinkling on lawns.
After hurricanes, floods, government corruption, crime and extreme heat, New Orleans now must overcome the saltwater invasion, the result of a persistent drought that has lowered Mississippi water levels.
To counter the threat, the U.S. Corps of Engineers plans to send 36 million gallons of freshwater a day to city utilities. The corps will use barges to transport the treated water from the upper Mississippi.
While the corps action sounds effective, it could further deplete the river's water if the drought worsens.
The corps is also finishing a "sill," or underwater levee, that will partially block the salt attack. The sill has an opening for river ships, which will allow some salt to pass through.
Southern Louisiana for years has been losing vast amounts of land to the Gulf of Mexico. Salt heading up the river is something new.
Gumbo cooks might no longer need so much seasoning.