The Mississippi River is the fourth longest river in the world, running over 2,350 miles from Minnesota, USA to Gulf of Mexico. It is an important natural resource for many communities along its banks and in the Gulf region. While the river has many tributaries and its flow changes from place to place, the most important discussion surrounding it involves the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
Cape Girardeau has been impacted by the Mississippi River since its founding in 1808. It was a tobacco trade hub in the 1800s, and its wealth was built on products shipped up and down the river. Cape Girardeau is known as the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers and strategic sites in its history resulted in important battles in the Civil War.
Today, the economic significance of the Mississippi River is just as important as ever. The change its water level can create alarms in any community near its banks. When the water level is too high, flooding can occur and low levels can mean insufficient navigability for barges and other vessels vital to the area’s economy. To answer the question of how high is the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau- means looking at historical data and analyzing charts and graphs to get an answer.
The highest water level of the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau, was reported in May of 1973 and it was reported at a staggering 48.2 feet. That year, the city of Cape Girardeau saw 13,000 people, or about half the population, evacuated from the region as flooding reached unprecedented levels. It is estimated that the city suffered between one and two million dollars in damages as a result of the flood that spring.
Experts have focused their studies on the long-term changes of the Mississippi River’s water level at Cape Girardeau and have seen a gradual rise in the height since the 1970s. This trend is typical in most areas of the US, as climate change affects various bodies of water and causes significant rises in their levels.
This is a matter of great concern to environmentalists, as well as to local government, who must decide how to protect their citizens and their beneficial infrastructure from ever-increasing water levels. From opinion surveys to emergency procedures- local governments and agencies along the Mississippi are developing plans and policies to ensure that the river can be managed successfully.
Creating a Plan
The City of Cape Girardeau, like most other cities along the Mississippi, is developing a master plan to mitigate flooding and decrease the risk of further disasters. This plan is focused on creating a comprehensive approach to managing the river and suggests building flood control structures, and enforcing land use policies. It also suggests implementing strategies for floodplain management and the establishment of floodways for the local rivers.
The City of Cape Girardeau also has developed maps and charts to aid in understanding how the river and its tributaries interact and how the level of the Mississippi River affects the city and its surrounding areas. These maps are essential for understanding how the river and its tributaries affect the area as well as how to develop strategies to mitigate flooding and other potential hazards.
Finally, the City of Cape Girardeau is gathering information about climate change and its potential effects on the Mississippi River level. The city is gathering information from meteorologists, hydrologists and climate scientists to create plans that will enable the city and its residents to manage the river in the face of a changing climate.
Local Agencies
Aside from local governments, there are several external agencies that work to provide information, data, and resources to people living along the Mississippi River. The US Army Corps of Engineers provides regular updates on water levels and offers resources to local communities so they can create their own flood management plans. Agencies like the National Weather Service, Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provide data on the river and its tributaries, as well as information about seasonal flooding and potential risks.
Other public and private groups are working to restore wetlands and rivers, which can reduce the risk of flooding by naturally absorbing water. Organizations like the Nature Conservancy, the Mississippi River Trust, and RiverCities are dedicated to restoring wetlands and improving water quality in the region. These organizations focus on providing resources to local communities, as well as advocating for better water management policies.
Additionally, cape Girardeau has its own chapter of the American Red Cross, whose Disaster Services department responds to floods, storms and other disasters and provides food, shelter, clothing, and mental health services. The Red Cross also provides services during the recovery phase, including post-disaster housing and rebuilding funds.
Technology Solutions
The City of Cape Girardeau and other local municipalities have developed ways to use technology to track and manage water levels, as well as warning systems to alert residents in the event of a flood. The most popular of these is the Flooding Early Warning System (FEWS), which uses sensors, microcontrollers, and mobile devices to monitor water levels and communicate the information to a central hub. This system can provide critical information to local officials, who can then make informed decisions about whether to encourage flood protection measures or evacuate.
In addition, new satellite technologies such as the Global Positioning System are being used to track water levels more accurately. These systems measure the water depth and can even track the speed and direction of water flow, which can help local governments plan for potential floods.
The government has also been working to improve the resilience of the city by investing in infrastructure like levees, dams, channels and other structural forms of flood protection. These permanent structures have been designed to minimize flood damage in the most at-risk areas while still allowing the river to flow naturally.
Conclusion
The Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau is an important part of the community and its economy. Its water levels are constantly changing, so local governments and agencies must be prepared to respond quickly when the river rises too high. By combining local resources like the American Red Cross, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and other agencies with new technologies such as satellite systems, the city can more accurately track and manage the Mississippi River’s water levels. By understanding its past, present, and potential future impacts, Cape Girardeau can develop plans to protect its citizens and limit the potential damage caused by flooding.
