GeologyRocks

For the past few weeks, the Mississippi river has been flooding and battering the American south. Memphis, Tenn., has been inundated with heavy flooding, however the river has crested near the Music City, signifying the most detrimental is finished. That area can be safer, as the water will start to recede and flooding will subside. However, there are several other areas still at considerable risk.

TN landmarks just fine

Some of Tennessee's amazing landmarks are just fine, although over 1,000 people are considered homeless now. The floodwaters did not hurt the Beale Street district. BBC states that this is a Music City landmark. The Mississippi has not harmed Graceland, the estate that was the home of Elvis Presley in his later life until his death in 1977. According to a Shelby County Emergency Management Agency official where Memphis is, individuals would keep Graceland safe, even if they had to "charge hell with a water pistol.". Flash floods in the Memphis area are a serious concern, reports CBS. About 1,300 homes were evacuated because of this fear. The water will take a while to recede.

Enlarged Mississippi crests

A very high Mississippi river is to be expected. This is since the East Coast had near record snow fall this year in the United States. Memphis' floodwaters were just 10 inches lower than the 1937 record hitting 48 feet. Though the most severe of the danger is coming to an end in Memphis, there is considerable danger left for the rest of the cities and states along the path of the Mississippi river. There have been difficulties with the flood in the rest of the Mississippi river system and river delta. Still, precautions are still being taken. Pressure on the New Orleans' levees should be relieved by the Bonnet Carre Spillway, states MSNBC. The Army Corps of Engineers just opened it up. Floodwaters are already coursing through the delta, but measures are being taken to further prepare the area for the huge volume of water that is heading in that direction.

Most detrimental flooding in many years

The Christian Science Monitor reports that even though the flood amounts are bad, they are not as bad as the floods in 1927 killing hundreds and costing millions. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed over 2,000 miles of levees. This was because of the flooding that happened in 1927. The water always has to go someplace though. That means the Mississippi water has to flood somewhere else when the spillways are opened. It is anticipated that 900,000 acres of Arkansas farmland will become flooded as the water moves toward the Gulf of Mexico and spillways are opened along the way.

Articles cited

BBC

bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13337548

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/42973616/ns/us_news-environment/

CBS

cbsnews.com/stories/2011/05/09/travel/main20061138.shtml

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0509/Mississippi-River-nears-crest-in-Memphis-but-concern-shifts-south