Mississippi River in 2012
The immense Mississippi River is the second longest river in the United States, stretching from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. This river, laden with history and important to US commerce, saw a number of events in 2012.
The year was not without issue, as in January it suffered from record flooding. This natural disaster overran towns and farmlands in the Iowa to Illinois corridor and everything from businesses to homes and crops were affected. The Governor of Illinois declared a disaster, while the Army Corps of Engineers scrambled to strengthen levees to stop the surging waters. Months later there was flooding in some areas, but the disaster was never repeated.
According to the Army Corps of Engineers, the river reached a high of 39.11 feet at one point and the highest levels exceeded the 1950 flood, though not by much. River traffic was hit hard, both from the flooding and from further restrictions put in place to prevent further damage. There were areas, especially around Loup City, Nebraska, where heavy rains combined with an already swollen river and caused landslides, while massive ice jams were reported in Minnesota in the wake of the severe winter.
The economic impact of this disaster was significant, as grain barge traffic was stopped and barges were seen stuck in fields. Agribusiness most felt the economic impact, and there were losses in tourism. However, in the wake of the flooding there was also an increase in monitoring efforts to prevent it from happening again.
In 2013 the river saw an increased focus on safety, with major dredging efforts to keep the main channel at its deepest in nearly a decade. As such, the Army Corps of Engineers planned to build better, stronger levies and banks. By 2014 all the repairs had been completed.
It is also worth noting that, as with all US rivers, the Mississippi saw extensive clean-up efforts both in 2012 and the years following. As of this writing, the river is both clean and safe for use, though recreation and transport must still be precise enough not to damage the banks.
Wildlife Impact
The 2012 flooding also had a serious effect on the indigenous wildlife; a number of species were displaced and some parts of the national wildlife refuges were also affected. Species such as American lobsters, American eels, various species of carp, paddlefish, catfish, and even the over-fishing of carp, were heavily affected by the flood.
The Mississippi River has a number of different types of wildlife in the surrounding area, and the flood had a serious impact on them. From the spawning grounds of fish in the spring to the migration of deer in the fall, different species were affected much differently than in other areas.
Organizations such as the Missouri Department of Conservation worked to ensure the River’s wildlife stayed intact after 2012 by focusing on both research into the effects of the flood on species, as well as finding ways to reintroduce niche species back into the river biome.
The National Wildlife Federation also works to protect the Mississippi River’s wildlife from the potential dangers of human activities such as over-fishing and pollution. As with any natural disaster, it is important that the effects of the Mississippi River flooding in 2012 ensure to the future of the wildlife for which the River is so important.
Restoration Efforts
Though the river was in need of assistance in the wake of the floods, some of its communities were already well on their way towards restoring it before the event even occurred. Organizations such as the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative were already working to protect and restore the river prior to the disaster, and the flooding only made their mission more pressing.
The initiatives’s main focus is to develop “sustainable solutions to protect and restore the vital river ecosystems and waterways.” This includes everything from conserving and restoring habitat to working on solutions for wild floods and water conservation.
The River also saw increased enforcement of dam safety originally put in place in 1921. This offered additional protections from potential flooding. Further, the US Department of Agriculture’s Technical Assistance for Specialty Crop Program provided funding and resources to help farmers in 2012.
In 2014 the US Army Corps of Engineers released a report on the potential for higher water flows and flooding, along with an assessment of the river’s infrastructure. The report showed that the river’s infrastructure was not in the best condition, but also suggested ways to make renovations and amendments to existing infrastructure.
The Army Corps of Engineers continued to survey the river’s infrastructure, with a focus on better flood control measures, and additional resources were pumped into the conservation of the Mississippi River.
Effects of Mississippi River in 2012
In addition to the natural disaster of the flooding, the Mississippi River saw a number of effects in 2012 related to the environment, local economies, and the wildlife in the area.
The environment in the area saw a number of changes, from decreased navigability to landslides and ice jams in the wake of the flooding. Local economiced saw a major loss in tourism, and even agribusinesses suffered extensive damages. The native wildlife was heavily impacted, as certain species were displaced; organizations such as the Missouri Department of Conservation and the National Wildlife Federation are still working to conserve and protect the species of the river to this day.
The flooding also focused attention on the Mississippi River and brought increased efforts in conservation and safety. These include increased dredging, bolstered levies and banks, and increased safety efforts and monitoring. These efforts have been put in place to prevent further disasters from occurring, and have been ongoing ever since.
Conclusion of the Disaster
Though the flooding of the Mississippi River was a natural disaster and caused an immense amount of disruption and damage, it also brought about increased attention to the conservation and safety of the river. This attention has encouraged an increased dedication to monitoring the river, both from areas of navigation and from a wildlife perspective.
The river is cleaner and safer than it was in 2012, and a number of species indigenous to the area have been conserved and protected, both in the wake of the disaster and in the years since. The economic impact was also significant, but the Mississippi River continues to play a vital role in US commerce, and the various efforts to protect it are ongoing.
