Mississippi River News

Floods of Five Rivers Head from Midwest to U.S. Industrial South

Brace yourself, U.S. South. The Mississippi River is coming, and so are the Arkansas, the Red, the Ohio and the Missouri. The water on the Mississippi River is already so high that Missouri has closed interstate highways. Governor Jay Nixon …

Mississippi River Could Reach Flood Stage by End of March

The Mississippi River at Natchez, Miss., is expected to rise 6.6 feet in the next two weeks, placing it just below flood level early in the spring rise season. The National Weather Service tells The Natchez Democrat the river will …

Corps Wants Changes at Louisiana’s Morganza Flood Control Structure

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will hold public meetings next week on plans to tweak the way the Morganza flood control structure is operated during floods. The Morganza flood control structure diverts water from the Mississippi River into the …

Midwest Towns Hope Worst of Flood Is Behind Them

Officials in several Mississippi River towns were cautiously optimistic on July 10 that they’ll soon emerge from this year’s flood with relatively minor damage. Water levels were dropping in several places, including Clarksville, Mo., where a furious sandbagging effort over …

Flood Warnings for Tennessee, Kentucky Near Mississippi River

Flood warnings have been issued in Tennessee and Kentucky as the Mississippi River starts to slowly rise from northern floodwaters, but officials say the rising water should not have a significant impact. Marlene Mickelson, a meteorologist at the National Weather …

Rain Prompts Flood Worries in Missouri, Illinois, Iowa

The Mississippi River, so low for much of the winter that barge traffic was nearly halted, could reach up to 10 feet above flood stage by the middle of next week in parts of Iowa, Illinois and Missouri, National Weather …

Barge Spills Oil after Collision on Lower Mississippi River

A collision involving a barge Thursday night resulted in an oil spill near Baton Rouge, Louisiana on the Mississippi River, the United States Coast Guard said on Friday. The amount of oil spilled was unknown, but the accident was not …

Mississippi River Closure After Accident Delays 300 Barges

More than 300 barges were awaiting passage through a closed section of the Mississippi River near Vicksburg, Mississippi, on Monday, a day after two tanker barges struck a railroad bridge and one leaked an unknown amount of oil into the …

Mississippi Homeowners Sign Up for Flood Buyouts

Eighteen north Vicksburg homeowners who suffered damage from the Mississippi River flooding this spring have signed up for the city’s buyout program. The Vicksburg Post reported the voluntary buyout will be conducted in two phases. The first involves homes in …

During Floods, Mississippi River Tried to Carve New Path

Since the waters from this spring’s floods receded, officials have identified places where the Mississippi River tried to carve out new channels and change course. From northwest Tennessee to Louisiana, the Mississippi tried to cut through river bends and remove …