A Win For The Mississippi River

By Shana Udvardy – American Rivers – December 21, 2011

After a devastating year for flooding on the Mississippi River, it’s good news to see a recent report by the “congressional watchdog” agency that makes long overdue recommendations on how the Corps of Engineers (the “Corps”) must follow current laws and protect the environment when it comes to building and maintaining structures that support navigation on the Mississippi River.  To read full blog, click here.

The Tale Of Two Rivers (And One Very Large River Basin): As The Mississippi River Flooding Lingers, Communities Along The Missouri River Are Witnessing Unprecedented Flooding

By Shana Udvardy – American Rivers – June 10, 2011

As communities begin to recover from flooding along the Mississippi River, communities along the Missouri River [PDF] from the Dakotas to Iowa to Nebraska to Missouri are bracing for unprecedented flooding. To read full blog, click here.

Mississippi Flood Update: Morganza Spillway Opening Imminent

By Shana Udvardy – American Rivers – May 13, 2011

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is poised to open the fourth and final major floodway on the Mississippi River to ease pressure on levees and save populated areas from record-breaking floods.

To begin relieving the flooding, the Bonnet Carré Spillway was opened on May 9th. But the opening of the Bonnet Carré is proving to be insufficient. With river flows registering at 1.36 million cubic feet per second, the Corps is saying it could open the Morganza Spillway. To read full blog, click here.

Mississippi Floods: The Year of the River

By Amy Kober – American Rivers – May 11, 2011

Several months ago, American Rivers dubbed 2011 The Year of the River because of the exciting and unprecedented dam removal projects coming up. The river restoration on Washington’s Elwha and White Salmon are ones for the history books. To read full blog, click here. 

What Can We Learn From The Mississippi River Flooding?

By Shana Udvardy – American Rivers – May 9, 2011

When the US Army Corps of Engineers blew the levee at Birds Point and the New Madrid Floodway, it sparked a heated debate. We can ask whether this particular by-pass was a idea or not, but that decision was made 80 years ago, right or wrong. One thing is for sure in a changing climate — the past is no longer a good predictor of what will come in the future. To read full blog, click here.

Natural Solutions for an Unnatural Disaster

A Blueprint for Strengthening Nature’s Defenses to better Protect People and Communities along the Mississippi River

National Wildlife Federation: Mississippi River Flooding – May 18, 2011

As the catastrophic Mississippi River flooding unfolds like a slow-motion train wreck, the first
priorities of the federal, state, and local government are to prevent loss of life, minimize property
damage and assist those in need with all resources possible. When the waters recede, it will be
important to ask some tough questions. Was this truly a natural disaster or one that was caused
(or at least exacerbated) by government policies?  What pragmatic steps can be taken now and in
the years ahead to better prepare and protect people and communities from future storms and
floods? To read full report, click here.

The Compleat Wetlander: Rethinking Floods — Can We Take Actions Now to Reduce Future Catastrophes?

By Jeanne Christie – The Compleat Wetlander – July 15, 2011

This has been a year of natural disasters here and abroad.  The news has been filled with stories of tsunamis, droughts, wildfires, tornadoes and floods. Worldwide, 2011 is already the costliest year on record. Taken as a single event, the tornadoes this spring add up to the 5th costliest disaster in U.S. history with a $14 billion price tag (click here). With flood waters still high in some places in the U.S., flood damage estimates range from $3 to $9 billion and the ongoing drought and wildfires in Texas could add another $1-3 billion. To read full blog, click here.

The Compleat Wetlander: Use the Natural Floodplain as Nature Intended

By Jeanne Christie – The Compleat Wetlander – May 18, 2011

This seems like a year of natural disasters—a tragic tsunami in Japan, killer tornadoes in the Midwest, drought and wildfires in Texas and now a flood of historic proportions on the Mississippi.  The toll on human life and property is still being tallied for all of these disasters even as the floodwaters move inexorably downriver towards New Orleans.  Natural disasters cannot be prevented.  They will happen.  During and after these events many of us seek to better understand why and when they happen and make changes to prevent future disasters from taking a similar toll on the human population. To read full blog, click here.