Annual spring floods affected the Midwestern United States and parts of Canada beginning in late February 2011. Flooding continued into May, reaching historic levels along the Mississippi River.
These maps illustrate how much sediment flowed into the Gulf of Mexico during the floods on the Mississippi River in May and June 2011. The nutrient-rich sediment is expected to contribute to the development of a record dead zone this summer.
Acquired May 17, 2011, and May 22, 2011, these natural-color images show sediment in the Gulf of Mexico, one consequence of Mississippi River flooding.
These false-color images compare conditions along the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers around Vicksburg in June 2011, during heavy flooding, and three years earlier.
These false-color images compare conditions along the Mississippi River and Atchafalaya Basin in June 2011, during heavy flooding, and three years earlier.
Acquired May 3, 2011, and June 4, 2011, these natural-color images show the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway after the floodway was opened, and after flood waters receded.
Acquired June 4, 2011, and May 3, 2011, these natural-color images compare flooded and post-flood conditions at the confluence of the Wabash and Ohio Rivers.
Acquired May 18, 2011, and May 4, 2011, these false-color images show flooded conditions along the Lower Mississippi River, including diverted water entering the Morganza Floodway on May 18.
This image from the Advanced Land Imager on NASA's Earth Observing-1 satellite was acquired on May 15, 2011, about 24 hours after the Morganza Spillway was partially opened by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to ease flooding along the Mississippi River.
Acquired May 11, 2011, and April 21, 2007, these false-color images show the Mississippi River near Natchez, Mississippi. The image from May 2011 shows flooded conditions.
Acquired May 10, 2011, and April 21, 2010, these natural-color images show flooded and normal conditions along the Mississippi River in Memphis, Tennessee.
Acquired May 8, 2011, April 29, 2011, and May 3, 2010, these false-color images show water levels along the Mississippi River between Memphis and Vicksburg.
Acquired May 3, 2011, and April 29, 2011, these false-color images show the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers before and after the destruction of a levee.
This map depicts rainfall for the Midwestern U.S. from April 19 to 25, 2011, when severe rains added to spring melt to bring dozens of rivers above flood stage.
Acquired April 6, 2011, March 18, 2011, and March 7, 2011, these false-color images show melting snow and rising water levels in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota.
The Advanced Land Imager on NASA's Earth Observing-1 satellite captured these natural-color views of snow cover, melting, and developing floods around Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead, Minn. in spring 2011.
Acquired April 6, 2011, March 28, 2011, and February 28, 2011, these false-color images show the retreat of snow and advance of water in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Acquired March 12, 2011, and February 12, 2011, these false-color images show parts of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers before and after melting snow raised water levels.