Upper Mississippi River Flood Forecast (2024)

FAQs

Is the Mississippi river level going up? ›

Rising River Levels Along The Mississippi River

The Mississippi River will continue to rise through the next 1 to 2 weeks as runoff from snowmelt upstream in combination with rainfall runoff moves through the river system. Confidence has increased that much of the river will see minor to moderate flooding.

The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 was the most destructive flood in United States history. This flood extended across Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. At one point the river was approximately 80 miles wide near Vicksburg, MS.

On August 1st, 1993, the Mississippi River at St. Louis crested at 49.58 feet, the highest stage ever recorded. The size and impact of the Great Flood of 1993 was unprecedented and has been considered the most costly and devastating flood to ravage the U.S. in modern history.

Flood of 2008

Between April 11 and May 12, heavy rain in the Mississippi River Valley necessitated the opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway for the first time in 11 years. 160 bays were opened for 31 days. Red River Landing crested at 60.68 feet (18.50 m) on April 24, the 3rd highest on record .

The water level at Memphis fell to a record-low elevation of minus 11.5 feet on Wednesday afternoon, according to data from the National Weather Service.

200′

Mississippi River / Max depth

The deepest place on the Mississippi River is 200-feet deep and is located near Algiers Point in New Orleans.

When compared to other world rivers, the Mississippi-Missouri River combination ranks fourth in length (3,710 miles/5,970km) following the Nile (4,160 miles/6,693km), the Amazon (4,000 miles/6,436km), and the Yangtze Rivers (3,964 miles/6,378km).

The Great Storm of 1861-1862, often referred to as the Great Flood of 1862, was a series of intense storms that battered California for several weeks.

Fifty flood deaths occurred, and damages approached $15 billion. Hundreds of levees failed along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. Transportation was severely impacted. Barge traffic on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers was stopped for nearly 2 months.

What is the 100-year flood for a location on a river? ›

Because the 1-percent AEP flood has a 1 in 100 chance of being equaled or exceeded in any 1 year, and it has an average recurrence interval of 100 years, it often is referred to as the “100-year flood”.

Landside drought lowers the river's water levels, and rising sea levels on the ocean side pushes salt water in. Those who study the Mississippi agree that this year's saltwater intrusion is a particularly dramatic example of what may become a more frequent feature of the dry season.

From its source in Lake Itasca, 1,460 feet above mean sea level, the Mississippi River follows a semicircular 376 mile course to where it leaves the watershed at an altitude of 1,150 feet.

Drought conditions hobbled transportation beginning in September 2022, producing historic low river levels that stranded barges, delayed barge shipments and disrupted grain exports, while causing saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico to move into the Mississippi and contaminate drinking water in places like New Orleans.