Monday, May 2, 2011

Mid South Flooding: From Desperate To Devastating

More Rain for Already Flooded Arkansas, Ohio Valley

More flooding is inevitable from Arkansas to the Ohio Valley since the already water-logged region will not be able to handle the additional rain that will pour down through Tuesday.

The potential exists for 3 to 5 inches of rain to soak the corridor from northeastern Texas to the Ohio Valley tonight into Tuesday.

That amount of rain would alone raise concerns for flash flooding. But with the ground already saturated and rivers severely flooding, new flooding issues are inevitable.

Army Corps prepares to blow up Missouri levee

The Army Corps of Engineers on Sunday began moving barges into position to blow up a levee along the Missouri side of the Mississippi River after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to intervene, removing the last legal barrier.

Floodwaters could be released as early as Monday afternoon.

Missouri had tried to stop the levee's destruction but lost in lower courts. The high court decided not to hear the state's appeal, said Robyn Ziegler, spokeswoman for the Illinois attorney general's office. ..
Army Corps Maj. Gen. Michael Walsh ordered a start to preparations to blast a 2-mile-wide section of the levy near Birds Point, Mo., as rain continued to swell the Mississippi past already record levels, spokesman James Pogue said.

 No place else for floodwaters to go -- Mississippi now past 41 feet

The officials emphasized that the last chance to stem the rising Mississippi River ran out today, as reservoirs that hold the Tennessee River back from the Ohio River filled to capacity

The Ohio flows into the Mississippi River, which is expected to crest Wednesday in Cairo at 61.5 feet.

The perfect storm of heavy rain combined with the rising Mississippi River is causing the local tributaries to flood areas around the county. The Mississippi was at 41.44 feet as of 6 p.m. Sunday, and its high waters are now colliding with the inflow from swollen tributaries, giving that surge of water no place to go.

Remember, this is only the first days of May.  There will be much more water in our future.  The situation is way past dire, and the outlook continues to deteriorate as the water continues to rise.. 

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