Your river forecast for March 30, 2021

The NWS has raised the crests for the MS River up 1’. The MS River is predicted to crest 1’ above Flood Stage at Arkansas City & Greenville and 2.5’ above FS at Vicksburg.

The Corps has raised the Backwater forecast up 0.5’ – it is predicted to crest between 91’ and 91.5’ in mid-April.

Mississippi River

              Flood  Current   Change          Predicted

Gage                   Stage     Stage   Past 24 hrs   Crest & Date
Cairo (Ohio Rv)  40’         44.6’     +0.6’    46.5’ on April 3
Memphis            34’         30.2’     -0.3’    31.0’ on April 6
Helena                 44’        39.9’     +0.0’    Cresting near 39.9’
Arkansas City     37’        37.6’     +0.3’     38.0’ on March 31
Greenville           48’        48.4’     +0.1’    49.0’ on April 1
Vicksburg            43’        44.1’     +0.2’     45.5’ on April 2
Natchez               48’        51.2’     +0.2’     52.5’ on April 3

RIVER FORECAST NEXT 28 DAYS

The NWS has unofficially looked at the 16-day rainfall forecast and it matches up with the official forecast shown above.

BACKWATER

The Steele Bayou Structure Gates were closed Monday March 15, 2021.
The Backwater is currently at 89.2’.
At 89.2’ 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.
The Corps predicts the Backwater will crest between 91’ and 91.5’ before the gates can re-open.