The Mississippi River, the largest river system in North America, originates at Lake Itasca in Minnesota and slowly flows to the Gulf of Mexico. We have seen a series of major floods from the Mississippi River over the years. The current flood is forecasted to hit Natchez, Mississippi by May 21 and reach the Gulf at the end of the month. At present, residents from Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana are hand bagging as well as preparing barriers to struggle against the upcoming floods.
The heavy rain had caused the terrible flood in the Ohio and lower Mississippi Rivers throughout the month of February in 1903. With another storm struck the Ohio River Valley on February 27 that was followed by heavy rains in early March that year, flooding had become a serious problem for the Ohio River from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Cincinnati, Ohio.
1903 Mississippi River flood
Mississippi River flood
During the spring of 1927, many floods swamped all parts of seven U.S. states and made some 800,000 people homeless. Levees couldn’t help stop the floodwaters racing down tributaries into the Mississippi River and moved toward the Gulf of Mexico. And by late April that year, the worst flood happened, causing dramatic social and economic upheaval.
1927 Mississippi River flood
There was a great flood in January 1937 when heavy rain and snow swelled the Ohio and upper Mississippi Rivers. It was reported that it rained for 27 out of 31 days during the month. Some areas received over ten inches of rain in a period of 20 days and many cities in United States, including Memphis and Tennessee were seriously flooded.
1937 Mississippi River flood
The 1983 flood was named as the second severest flood on the lover Mississippi since the 1927 flood. The flood was estimated to cost U.S. $15.7 million when it damaged river industries, facilities as well as agriculture.
1983 Mississippi River flood
Mississippi River’s Severest Floods Ever