Vicksburg flooding

Scenes of flooding near Vicksburg with homemade dams.

Morganza Spillway to open

The Morganza Spillway will be opened today, flooding a large area on the west side of the Mississippi River. This action is intended to divert flood waters from Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

This floodway will send water down the Atchafalaya River toward Morgan City and into the Gulf. Flood control measures will then have been taken on both sides of the river.

They await downstream

The situation along the Mississippi River between Vicksburg and New Orleans is increasingly scary. It seems like that the Army Corps of Engineers will open the Morganza Spillway to reduce pressure on the levees at Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

Vicksburg courthouse

See this link for a photo of the Vicksburg courthouse surrounded by water.

Rolling down to the Gulf 2

The flooded Mississippi River continues to roll on down river.
Memphis, Vicksburg, Natchez, Baton Rouge, New Orleans.

Opening the Bonnet Carre Spillway

The Bonnet Carre Spillway will be opened today north of New Orleans to relieve pressure on levees as a huge amount of water flows down the Mississippi. This will allow river water to flow into Lake Pontchartrain and on out into the Gulf of Mexico.

See here for background and photos.

Rolling down to the Gulf

The Mississippi River flood is rolling down to the Gulf. The tributaries are flooding as well. The White River is above flood stage in several towns and flood waters have closed a section of Interstate 40, one of the nation's busiest highways. The affected area is located between Hazen and Brinkley in both directions.

Flooding Memphis

With the Mississippi River at record highs, Memphis is threatened.

Mississippi River flooding

The Lower Mississippi River is facing the worst flooding since 1937 or perhaps 1926. See map here. The Army Corps of Engineers blew up a levee to save Cairo, Ill. from flooding, but the diversion of water threatens farms, crops, and livelihoods in Missouri. As they say, water's got to go somewhere.