Mississippi - river managment

Question 1

When were the Mississippi floods

Answer 1

April-May 2011

Question 2

Physical causes

Answer 2

In April 2011, there were 2 major storms recording record levels of rainfall on the Mississippi drainage basin

Loads of snow fell in the Mid West during winter, this melted in spring and caused the tributaries to over flow

Question 3

Human causes

Answer 3

tarmac surfaces in developed areas such as St. Louis on the western bank of the Mississippi reduced infiltration and increased surface run-off

Channelisation of rivers in places like St. Louis exaggerated problems down stream

Many of the levees along the river were breached in order to protect major settlements

On May 14 the Morganza Spillway, about 35 miles North of Baton Rouge was opened, those waters drained into the Atchafalaya basin, covering 3,000 square miles of land