The Mississippi River will crest above flood stage today, which is one of the latest dates the river has reached flood stage in the last several years.
In the years since the flood of 2011, the river has generally reached flood stage in January, February or early March. In 2015, the river did not reach flood stage until June, but crested at just below flood stage on March, 31, 2015.
River crest dates recently are 54.78 ft on April 13, 2020; 51.69 ft on Feb. 20, 2020; 50.04 ft on Jan. 27, 2020; 56.95 ft on March 12, 2019: 47.82 ft on Jan. 17, 2019; 46.29 ft on April 17, 2018; 54.80 ft on March 14, 2018; 54.33 ft on May 25, 2017; 46.39 ft on March 15, 2016; and 56.24 ft on Jan. 13, 2016.
The current projected crest and flood stage of 49 feet on the Greenville Gauge and a predicted crest in the Yazoo Backwater means there are 322,000 acres of land in that region underwater. Of those acres, 91,000 are crop land.
At 89.2 feet, where the backwater level sits today, there are currently 260,000 acres flooded including 61,000 acres of crop land. If the Yazoo Backwater Pumps were in place – they would be pumping.
Each rise in level above flood stage puts certain areas in risk. Those levels and areas include:
* Flooding is occurring around Lake Ferguson at 42 feet;
* Lower Lake Ferguson Road begins to flood at 43.5 feet;
* Road to Bunge Corporation grain elevators is under water at 44.5 feet;
* Lower Lake Ferguson Road is closed. Warfield Point Park is closed at 45 feet;
* Water begins to cover the dirt road leading to the Farmers Grain terminal facility which is north of the Greenville bridge at 48 feet;
* Upper Lake Ferguson Road and Warfield Point Park are closed at 50 feet;
n Practically all areas between levees are flooded. Approximately 50 buildings have water inside them. Water enters Farmers Grain terminal building north of the Greenville bridge. Electric power is turned off to north and south Lake Ferguson Road and Hillman-Logan Road at 55 feet;
* South end of the Harbor Front Road is inundated. Greenville port terminal ceases operation;
* Larger portion of Harbor Front Road is under water. The deepest water is at the south end at 57 feet; and
* Water is over 2 feet deep in Farmers Grain terminal building north of the Greenville bridge.
