Mississippi River Well Below Normal

Coming off of the extreme floods of 2011, the river was approaching historic lows in the summer of 2012 near Memphis and along much of its lower reaches.

Image of the Day Land Drought

Lingering Floods along the Mississippi River

Acquired May 20, 2011, and April 14, 2011, these false-color images show water levels along the Mississippi River.

Land Floods

Floods in the U.S. Midwest

Floods

Flooding on the Lower Mississippi Continues

Much of the Lower Mississippi River was flooded in March.

Water Floods Remote Sensing

Low Water on the Mississippi Causes Barge Backup

The drought of 2012 reduced traffic to one towboat at a time; groundings closed parts of the river for hours to days.

Image of the Day Human Presence Remote Sensing Water Color

The Parched Paraná River

A drought around South America’s second longest river has grounded ships and contributed to a rash of fire in the delta and floodplain.

Image of the Day Heat Land Remote Sensing

Morganza Floodway

These false-color images compare conditions along the Mississippi River and Atchafalaya Basin in June 2011, during heavy flooding, and three years earlier.

Land Floods

Flooding reaches Vicksburg, Mississippi

The Mississippi River is rising around Vicksburg, Mississippi, in this image taken on May 10, 2011.

Floods

Lingering Floodwaters near Vicksburg, Mississippi

These false-color images compare conditions along the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers around Vicksburg in June 2011, during heavy flooding, and three years earlier.

Land Floods

Taming the Mississippi River

Engineers use levees, floodways, dams, and much more to control the ever restless Mississippi.

Image of the Day Land Water Human Presence