Gulf Restoration Network

United for a Healthy Gulf

Monday, 16 May 2011 16:21

Even though the Mississippi River has crested in Memphis, we are going to see rising waters along the Atchafalaya River, due to the opening of the Morganza Floodway and high flows through the Old River Control Structure. Throughout Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana, thousands of acres have been flooded and hundreds (if not thousands) of people have been forced to evacuate their homes. Much of this flooding is to be expected, for example, these casinos in Tunica Mississippi were built in the floodplain:

After many days of anticipation, the Corps finally started opening the Morganza Floodway on Saturday. This will allow water to flow into the Morganza Floodway which runs parallel to the Atchafalaya River. The flow will increase every day for until it reaches 125,000 cfs. Here is a timeline of flooding from the Corps of Engineers:

The flooding of the Atchafalaya and Morganza floodways is going to be a major impact on the area, where mandatory evacuations have been called. This flooding will also bring the added threat of the flooding of many oil and gas facilities, including a refinery in Krotz Spring and 589 producing oil and gas wells. For more on the current impacts to the Atchafalaya Basin, check out the update that Dr. Wilma Subra did for LEAN yesterday.

Stay tuned to the blog on updates, including the impacts the flood will have on this year’s Gulf Dead Zone.

Matt is GRN’s Science and Water Policy Director

This is GRN’s fifth blog on the Mississippi River flood. You can read the other posts here:

The Opening of the Bonnet Carrẻ

Interesting Climes

...and if the Creek Don't Rise

Mississippi River Flood Update

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