February 17, 2020
The National Weather Service (NWS) has updated it’s Mississippi River forecast and has lowered the crests by 0.5’.
The Steele Bayou Structure Gates are open.
The Yazoo Backwater is currently at 93.3’ which has 380,000 acres underwater in the MS South Delta including 125,000 acres of cropland..
The Yazoo Backwater is predicted to crest between 93.5’ and 94’. At 94’ there will be 404,000 total acres flooded including 139,000 acres of cropland.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Flood Current Predicted
Gage Stage Stage Crest & Date
Cairo (Ohio Rv) 40’ 51.1’ Cresting near 51.1’
Memphis 34’ 32.3’ 35.0’ on 2/21/20
Helena 44’ 40.0’ 43.5’ on 2/23/20
Arkansas City 37’ 36.2’ 39.0’ on 2/25/20
Greenville 48’ 47.8’ 50.0’ on 2/26/20
Vicksburg 43’ 44.7’ 46.0’ on 2/28/20
Natchez 48’ 51.7’ 53.5’ on 2/29/20
RIVER FORECAST NEXT 28 DAYS
The NWS has unofficially looked at the 16-day rainfall forecast and it is starting to get closer to the above official forecast. This could add 0.5’ more to the current official crests:
Arkansas City could crest near 39.5’ in 10 days.
Greenville could crest near 50.5’ in 10 days.
Vicksburg could crest near 46.5’ in 10 days.
BACKWATER
The Backwater (landside) is at 93.27’ and the riverside is at 92.68’.
The Steele Bayou Structure Gates are open. They have been open since February 2nd.
The Gates will probably close in the next few days.
The Yazoo Backwater is currently at 93.3’ which has 380,000 acres underwater in the MS South Delta including 125,000 acres of cropland.
The Yazoo Backwater is predicted to crest between 93.5’ and 94’. At 94’ there will be 404,000 total acres flooded including 139,000 acres of cropland.
YAZOO BACKWATER PUMPS
If we had the Yazoo Backwater Pumps in place – instead of cresting at 93.3’ back on February 2nd – the Pumps would have lowered the crest by 5.3’ down to 88’.
Instead of 380,000 acres flooded – the Pumps would have prevented 154,000 acres from flooding lowering the total land flooded to 226,000 acres.
Attached you will find a 10-day MS River Forecast.
Peter Nimrod
Chief Engineer
MS Levee Board