Highest Flood Level on Lower Mississippi Since 1973

摘要

On April 22, 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recorded the highest flood level on the lower Mississippi River since 1973. The flow occurred at Vicksburg, Mississippi, and measured 1.8 million cubic feet per second -enough water to fill more than 20 Olympic size swimming pools in one second, or more than 1.75 million pools in a day. The flood was caused by intense rainfall throughout the central plains and Ohio River Valley in March and April that eventually reached the lower Mississippi River Basin.rnIn March, forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted major spring floods in many regions of the United States, saying record rainfall and snowpack in some states would contribute to above-average flood conditions. In late March, more than 250 communities in a dozen states experienced flood conditions. To find current flood and high flow conditions across the country, visit the USGS WaterWatch Web site at http:// water.usgs.gov/waterwatch/flood.