June 17, 2019
HIGHLIGHTS:
– The MS River is falling.
– The Backwater is currently at 97.7’.
– The Steele Bayou Structure Gates are closed.
– The Steele Bayou Gates will reopen in a few days.
– The forecasted 7-day rainfall (QPF) for the MS Delta shows 2” to 3” of predicted rain over the Delta over the next week.
– The River at Greenville has been above flood stage (48’) for 120 days (Record duration).
– The River at Vicksburg has been above flood stage (43’) for 121 days.
– The River at Natchez has been above flood stage (48’) for 164 days (Record duration).
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Flood Current Predicted
Gage Stage Stage Crest & Date
Cairo (Ohio Rv) 40’ 47.6’ Crested at 48.8’ on 6/13/18
Memphis 34’ 32.6’ Crested at 32.7’ on 6/16/19
Helena 44’ 41.7’ Crested at 41.8’ on 6/16/19
Arkansas City 37’ 41.7’ Crested at 43.2’ on 6/10/19
Greenville 48’ 54.2’ Crested at 55.5’ on 6/12/19
Vicksburg 43’ 49.9’ Crested at 50.4’ on 6/13/19
Natchez 48’ 57.3’ Crested at 57.5’ on 6/16/19
RIVER FORECAST NEXT 28 DAYS
The NWS has looked at the 16-day rainfall forecast and it matches up with the official forecast. The river has crested and will slowly fall over the next 4 weeks.
Arkansas City will slowly drop to 37.5’ in 28 days.
Greenville will slowly drop to 50’ in 28 days.
Vicksburg will slowly drop to 46’ in 28 days.
BACKWATER
The Backwater (landside) is at 97.67’ and the riverside is at 98.08’.
The Steele Bayou Structure Gates are closed.
The Steele Bayou Gates will re-open in a few days.
At 98.2’ the Backwater flooded over 550,000 acres – including over 225,000 acres of Crop Land.
The Backwater has over topped several roads: Blanton Road (92’), Spanish Fort Road (92.5’), Goose Lake Road (93.4’), Low-water Bridge Road (93.7’), Hwy 465 (between the YBW Levee and Eagle Lake Gin), Hwy 16 in the Delta National Forest between Rolling & Holly Bluff (96.0’), Sartatia Road east of Holly Bluff, Hwy 465 near Hwy 1, and Hwy 1 just west of its’ intersection with Hwy 465 near Fitler, MS.
WOLF LAKE
Wolf Lake crested at 101. 38 on March 14th and is currently at 98.95’.
The Satartia Road east of the Will Whittington East Guide Levee is closed.
EAGLE LAKE
Eagle Lake has completely filled up and is currently at 97.66’.
EAGLE LAKE RESIDENTS
MDOT closed Hwy 465 on the riverside of the levee on February 23rd. MDOT closed HWY 465 on the protected side of the levee between the Yazoo Backwater Levee and the Eagle Lake Gin on March 4th.
Eagle Lake residents in light vehicles can travel up Hwy 61 to Onward, MS, then take Hwy 1 North over to Fitler, MS and then take the Mainline Mississippi River Levee South to get back and forth to Eagle Lake. This is a narrow gravel road – please be careful! Only light traffic will be allowed – no trucks!
LEVEE INSPECTIONS
The Corps of Engineers continues to inspect the levee. No issues have been found. We do not anticipate any major issues on the levee.