Mississippi River Freeze
Every winter, the Mississippi River experiences an array of weather phenomena; snowfall, freezing temperatures, and ice formation are all regular occurrences, but does the Mississippi River actually freeze over? Typically, the answer is no. The Mississippi River is a highly-voluminous and fast moving body of water that does not typically freeze, and it is this combination of size and speed that contributes to the river not as prone to freezing when compared to smaller and slower rivers.
When the Mississippi has frozen over, it has been due to a once in a generation combination of several unique conditions. Most notably, an abnormal and extended cold period caused by an artic vortex, followed by very low levels of precipitation to maintain the cold temperature, and fracturing of the ice due to the speed and patterns of the water’s flow.
Research conducted by professional climatologists and glaciologists suggests that the Mississippi was frozen over on a widespread basis, including solid ice sheets as wide as 500 miles, as least twice in recorded human history. The most recent event, which occurred in 1976, was due to the confluence of a relatively steady snowpack with a prolonged and rare period of low temperatures.
In the future, Climate Change is expected to have an effect on the Mississippi River’s freeze rate. Global warming is having a widespread and measurable effect in the environment, and some experts have predicted that increasing temperatures, especially during the winter months, could make it more likely for the Mississippi Rive to freeze over.
The Mississippi River freeze would however have a huge potential impact to both human and environment life that would span a wide geographic and socioeconomic level. A frozen Mississippi could affect the vital activities of shipping commerce, agriculture, and tourism, while also impacting the surrounding wildlife by threatening the food and habitat of the local climate.
Ice Formation Dangerous To Human Life
Large ice formation along the Mississippi River can lead directly to a decrease in water levels, as ice adds to the flow resistance of the river. Reduced water levels can strain populations of fish, posing a danger to their lives, while also reducing transportation and navigational capabilities of the river that would affect commercial, recreational and maintenance vessels using the river.
The presence of thick river ice has the potential to cause a hazardous situation for those who are either out on the ice or trying to navigate through the freeze. Even with the temperature falling, the current of the Mississippi River can remain swift and unpredictable as a result of the body of water being so large. People often underestimate the danger of crossing a frozen river, and in the worst cases, such miscalculation is met with tragic consequences.
The prevalence of boats and other vehicles that travel the Mississippi River on a regular basis contribute to the rapid decrease of the freeze’s temperature, further increasing the risk of the ice breaking suddenly and leading to dangerous and unexpected drowning scenarios.
In summary, freezing conditions on the Mississippi River are a rare but potential occurrence. However, successively colder winters could result in increased chance of full river freeze-overs. Caution must be exercised as a frozen Mississippi River is can lead to extremely dangerous scenarios along its full length.
Impact of River Freeze
The full length Mississippi River freeze in the winter of 1976 was met with considerable economic and environmental repercussions. The immediate danger – most notably from the transportation of people and cargo via water – was attended to with the closedown of ferries, factories and shipping orders.
The frozen river also affected agricultural industries along the banks of the river, with certain crops in danger of being lost due to both climate and freezer-burn. The deep freeze of 1976 also lasted only a few weeks, so the possibilities of greater damage with an extended freeze could be deep and wide ranging.
The impact of river freeze on wildlife also carries a high degree of danger and uncertainty. The migration pattern of some of species could be unintentionally disrupted, along with the availability of food sources that some animals need to survive the winter. As a result, more deeply affected wildlife populations could face near-term danger as a direct result of a widespread Mississippi River freeze.
Throughout the last several decades, the Mississippi River has seen its fair share of temperature drops and freezes, though most have been minor events that have presented no major danger to either human or environmental life. The few freeze-overs that occurred have bitten off more than they could chew, leading to considerable financial losses and putting thousands of lives in danger.
Safety Measures To Prevent Damage
Safety measures are available to cities located along the Mississippi River to help protect against the potential damage of a cold snap or freeze-over. Air and ground patrols, along with close monitoring of water temperatures, can help river navigation, while regulatory protocols can help mitigate the financial losses of water transportation, fishing and other river-dependent industries.
In the event of a weakened ice surface, special precautions can be taken to mark the dangerous surface, such as setting up flashing lights, signs and red flags to clearly identify and warn of the threat. The installation of safety booms and buoys can also prove effective in identifying the presence of weakened ice in the water, and can help to protect public safety.
Much of the underlying dangers and challenges with an ice frozen Mississippi River are rooted in public and environmental awareness. The only surefire way to stay safe from the potential dangers of a frozen river is to closely monitor the temperature, and to take the necessary safety precautions if the temperature drops too much.
Long-term Effects on Mississippi River and Habitat-forming Species
Rivers like the Mississippi not only provide habitat and resources to wildlife, they also serve as a crucial connection between habitats, allowing animals to form complex ecosystems and move freely to access resources or weather out particularly cold winters. In the event of Mississippi’s freeze-over, those species that rely on the river to maintain these habitats and resources could be pushed to the brink of endangerment or extinction.
The effect of extremely cold temperatures on Mississippi River species can include a decrease in reproduction and hibernation, as well as an increase in aggression as animals are forced to compete for food and shelter. In particular, species that depend on open water for some of their life cycle stages, such as mussel larva, could face near total extinction in places where the Mississippi River freezes over.
Moreover, other species simply may not be able to adapt to the extreme temperatures and lack of resources brought about by a full freeze, leading to their local extinction in the affected areas. Organisms such as the gray wolf, the red cedar tree and the deep water coral have all been listed as critically endangered as a result of a Mississippi River freeze.
Importance Of Mississippi Preservation
The Mississippi River is an integral part of our country’s culture, economy and environment, and it is of the utmost importance that it is properly preserved. Preservation of the river is a multifaceted task that includes keeping it clean, managing water levels, and pursuing a sustainable, environmentally friendly function in the years ahead.
The proper preservation of the Mississippi River involves proper management of its temperature–for too short of a freeze can be just as damaging to the river and its inhabitants as a full-scale freeze. Therefore, strategy and prevention should be emphasized to ensure that the site is adequately protected from both freezing and melting.
The government and local stakeholders have made significant attempts in recent years to preserve the river from both environmental degradation and hazardous cold snaps. The Mississippi River Commission, a U.S. government organization tasked with protecting the Mississippi from illegal and harmful forces, has established a policy to protect the river via the regulation of navigation, the coordination of land management and the conservation of resources.
The Mississippi River is an invaluable waterway to the United States and technological advances and proactive strategies to lessen the chance of its full-freeze are key to preserving it and its inhabitants in the years to come.
