Environment

Water now flows much faster to the Lower MS River due to changes in land use coupled with Corps of Engineers changes to the rivers. During the rainy season, water cannot get from the Lower MS River to the Gulf of Mexico as fast as it arrives from upstream. The bathtub that is the MS River from Natchez to the Gulf has been backing up since the late 1990s.

Gravity is a fundamental law of nature.  It makes rivers flow to the sea.  If the natural flow is blocked, there are consequences. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers blocked about 40% of the Mississippi River’s peak flow to the Gulf at Morgan City in 1964.  The delayed consequences today are unnatural floods on the Lower Mississippi. 

“This is a historic day for our State,” Secretary Hosemann said. “Today, our State and three public school districts allege the United States has taken property deeded to Mississippi 200 years ago.”

On January 15, 2016, the Mississippi River at Vicksburg reached 50 feet — 7 feet above flood stage.  It was the highest January crest since 1879 when Congress put the Mississippi River Commission (MRC) and the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) in charge of flood control.  A freak January flood.  It caused the Mississippi deer season to close early along the river.

It happened again this year.  On January 12-13, the river reached flood stage at Vicksburg and Greenville.  And the deer season closed early.  “Deja vu all over again,” as Yogi Berra said.  The river has reached flood stage in January only three times in 140 years — but twice in the last three years.

BPF’s Q&A two part series on MS River Flooding

BPF was featured in the Woodville Republican with a full page dedicated to Kelley Williams’ article on MS River Flooding.