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20 May 2011 16:37

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U.S.: DIY levees save houses from the rising Mississippi

  • Some houses in flooded areas near the Mississippi — like the one above — were saved by makeshift levees. The Daily Mail has a gallery showing a bunch of these (for back of better term) flood hackers. Not everyone was this lucky, though — some of the dirt dams failed.These particular photos are from the Yazoo River, a tributary to the Mississippi. (photo via Getty Images) source
Posted by Justin Jones • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 May 2011 15:18

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U.S.: Mississippi floodways opened to keep big cities safe

  • Saving urban areas by flooding farmland: Officials opened up the Morganza Floodway Saturday in an attempt to divert water from the Mississippi River, which will eventually drain into the Gulf of Mexico. Even though this move will destroy valuable crops, it’s better than running the risk of flooding large cities like New Orleans at levels worse than Hurricane Katrina. (Photo from US Army Corps of Engineers’ Flickr page.) source
Posted by Justin Jones • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 May 2011 10:01

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U.S.: Memphis floodwaters crest, fall short of record numbers

  • 47.85′ the Mississippi’s crest in Memphis source
  • » The good news? It’s not a record: But, considering it’s within a foot of the record, that’s of little solace to the people whose homes have been damaged by the flooding. Still, if something happens and it gets worse, the city is ready. “We will be prepared even if it goes beyond [48 feet],” said Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. “We have acted all along as if it were right at 49 or 50 feet.” One last note: Major landmarks like Sun Studio, Beale Street and Graceland are safe.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

09 May 2011 11:13

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U.S.: Memphis floodwaters about to crest at near-record levels

  • I just want a new life and relocation. I would like the elected officials to come down here to see this with their own eyes and see what we’re going through.
  • Memphis resident Cedric Blue • Expressing anger over his current plight — as a victim of the near-record flooding that is currently engulfing Memphis. (A note on that: We previously reported that the flood had hit record levels; this was based on information provided by an incorrect Christian Science Monitor report.) The river is expected to crest today, hours earlier than expected, but the city says it’s ready for the flloding — which is not expected to top that of the region’s record 1937 flood, with which it shares many similarities. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 May 2011 23:07

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U.S.: Mississippi River flooding: Near-record floodwaters in Memphis

  • 46′ the current levels of the Mississippi river in Memphis; some areas are already underwater
  • 48.7′ the prior record levels of the river in the area — set during a historic flood way back in 1937
  • 48′ the expected crest of the river in the area, which officials expect on Wednesday source
  • » A little bit of good news: While the floodwaters are extremely high, authorities say there will be no new rain until Tuesday, giving residents an opportunity to deal with the water already there, as well as to consider evacuation plans. (EDIT: A prior version of this story listed a 1927 flood as the record-setter. While the flood was devastating, it was not the worst. We apologize for the error.)
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

04 May 2011 09:58

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U.S.: States struggle to handle Mississippi River’s rising floodwaters

  • We’re making a lot of unfortunate history here in Mississippi in April and May.
  • Mississippi Emergency Management Agency spokesman Jeff Rent • Putting a pretty unfortunate period on the end of the sentence that is the Mississippi River’s flooding — along with last week’s tornadoes. All along the Misssissippi River, floodwaters are reaching record levels, putting some in precarious situations — or forcing some necessary but undesirable decisions, like blowing holes in levees that flood crops but save towns. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

03 May 2011 09:41

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U.S.: Birds Point levee blast eases pressure on Mississippi River

  • cause In a controversial move that may have saved a town but Missouri fought against in court (claiming it would hurt farms), officials started blowing holes in the Birds Point levee last night.
  • effect Since the initial blast, the Mississippi River’s level at Cairo, Illinois has gone down a solid foot, lowering the pressure and possibly ensuring that the town may avoid a massive flood. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
 
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