The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has revised its flood level projections for the Mississippi, indicating that the Memphis area could see a near- record breaking level of 48 feet by May 10.
This revised chart was published by NOAA at 3:55 CDT today (May 2).
[caption id=”attachment_19582” align=”aligncenter” width=”490” caption=”Flood projection from NOAA- Memphis Data Highlighted”]
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River stage is expected at 46.5 feet by Saturday, and 48.0 feet by May 10. THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF, FOLKS!
I have provided links in the immediately preceding posts, but here is the main link you MUST BOOKMARK and MONITOR FREQUENTLY:
Local news media, and Twitter (#memflood) offer up to the minute coverage of flood conditions.
Be Safe My Friends!
Ball fields at Rodney Baber Park Inundated with flood waters
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[caption id=”attachment_19565” align=”aligncenter” width=”490” caption=”at 35.5 feet on the Memphis Gauge, water laps over the bank at the ramp-parking lot at the north end of Mud Island - Memphis (the River will crest 10’ higher)”]
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service keeps tabs on Mississippi River conditions. If you are watching the river stages in anticipation of historic flooding next week, here are some interesting related links.
This is the official NOAA Lower Mississippi flood projections (Memphis Levels highlighted)
Link updated daily
Mayor Lutrell has declared a state of emergency in Shelby County,It’s a pretty powerless feeling, watching the river rise. If you are in an at risk area take all precautions. Our thoughts are with all the victims of the storms and tornadoes that have ravaged the South over the last few days.
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I realize that some of my friends out in the eastern suburbs don’t get to see it very often, but the Mississippi River is the area’s most notable geographic feature. Friends for our Riverfront has done a great job of exploring the history of the river in the Memphis area with emphasis on Memphis’ historic cobblestone landing.
We notice the changes in the river - sometimes more sandbars and exposed banks; sometimes the river widens to miles wide as flooding takes it over the banks on the Arkansas side, and covers the cobblestones at the foot of Monroe. The level of the river can fluctuate as much as 50 feet vertically during the course of a year.
River Stage
River Stage is measured on a scale with 0 feet (zero) being the lowest the water level is supposed to get at Memphis. Record low is -10.7 feet in 1988. Was the river dry? No, but it was low enough to greatly impede barge traffic. Flood Stage at Memphis is 34 feet. 34 feet on the vertical scale is the point where water overflows the low lying river banks, most notable seen looking west from Downtown. At flood stage, you see water for miles on the Arkansas side, until the levee system stops it from going farther. But that’s not all. The stage can go significantly higher. The record high water on the “Memphis gauge” was 48.7 feet during the 1937 flood.
If you have ever walked the River Walk south of Beale Street you may have noticed the large black and white signs with numbers that give the river stage. That information is posted and updated as a navigation aid for river pilots, who are familiar with how the water acts at different stages.
Your Government at work
The National Weather Service, through its Advanced Hydrologic Predicton Service, provides comprehensive river information for Memphis and all the other towns along the Mississippi and other navigable rivers. Just click on the chart or this link for more information about the river than you can imagine. Check out the other River towns too.
And if you really find this information exciting, you can subscribe to the Weather Service River RSS feed and get updates every few hours.
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