Mississippi River is known to be one of the largest rivers on the North American continent, covering nearly 2,320 miles. It is drained through the northern territories of Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee into the Gulf of Mexico. However, every now and then, this extensive and mighty river gets reversed by a natural phenomenon, causing the water to flow backwards rather than forwards.
Typically, the river is known to flow towards the Gulf of Mexico, but when the land on either side of the Mississippi River faces flooding due to excessive rains and thunderstorms, the river’s current is reversed for a very short span of time.
Recently in 2016, a big part of the Mississippi Delta region was subject to flooding due to heavy rains caused by Hurricane Mathew. Due to the widespread flooding, the river was observed as flowing backwards, carrying the water to its source in St. Anthony Falls, Minnesota. In fact, the phenomenon was so strong that during this time, several video clips were captured of the water reversing course.
The phenomenon is known as “reverse flow” or “fluvial overwash”, and has been observed in other rivers as well. The most common cause of this process is associated with either strong hurricanes, typhoons, tropical storms, or periods of intense and unexpected heavy rainfall.
Experts believe that this phenomenon causes intense disruption to the wildlife and environment around the river. According to Dr. Timothy Kitich, an expert in the Geography Department of the University of Michigan, this phenomenon caused a significant decrease in habitats for the birds, animals, and fish living around the Mississippi River. The reverse flow of water also caused a huge impact on their food chain and ecology.
Another expert on the subject, Dr. Johnathan Schher, a hydro-geologist from the University of California, suggests that this phenomenon may worsen in the future due to extreme climate change. He claims that with global warming, the intensity of hurricane and typhoon season is becoming higher and more unpredictable, which is leading to unexpected periods of flooding and reverse water flow.
The Mississippi River continues to be a major part of the North American continent – and with it, phenomena such as reverse flow, due to natural disasters, is something that locals and residents should be aware of. Understanding how the flow of water can be impacted by extreme weather conditions is key to protecting the environment, animals, and people living around the Mississippi River.
Reverse flow of water can also have a huge impact on anything that uses the water for transportation. Boats, ships and even canoeists can be subject to the rapid change in water flow and pressure, leading to danger and disruption to those in the vicinity.
According to researchers from the Naval Postgraduate School in California, a rapid change in navigation of the river can have severe consequences on the navigation system. The researchers found that during the reverse flow period, several ships and boats had to stop their operations as they were unable to control the boat in such unusual conditions.
Moreover, the waters during such periods become too choppy for motorboats and similar vessels, compromising the safety of both the passengers and boat itself.
The researches also concluded that the US Coast Guard and US Navy should prepare for such situations in advance by creating navigation plans and pilots to combat such natural disasters. This is crucial for anyone who plans on using the Mississippi River for any navigation purposes.
Consequences of Reverse Flow
The reverse flow of the Mississippi River also causes a significant strain to the cities and towns located on either side of the river. During the flooding period, the river is observed flowing over its banks, leading to vast inundation of the nearby areas.
In addition, the water during this period carries with it several pollutants, such as industrial and agricultural sludge. This has a severe effect on the environment and local habitats, disrupting the balance of nature around the river.
The force created by a reverse flow can also create cracks and damages on the banks of the river, leading to further erosion and destruction of the soils and geology in the region.
Therefore, it is important for the authorities and locals to be aware of how reverse flow of the river impacts the environment and habitats. The local government and other relevant organizations should be well-prepared for such urgent situations, creating evacuation plans and contingencies for such instances.
Implications for Climate Change
Reverse flow of the Mississippi River is an example of the increased intensity of weather conditions, as a result of global climate change. This leads to an increase in the frequency and intensity of flooding, as well as an increase in the chances of the river reversing its course.
Experts suggest that global warming is leading to an increase in sea surface temperatures around the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in more tropical storms and hurricanes. Furthermore, many experts claim that the change in weather patterns, as well as the number of storms, is becoming more unpredictable. This has a huge impact in the way people living in the region are able to prepare for such reverse flow events.
Moreover, this can have serious implications to the environment and habitats surrounding the Mississippi River in the future. If the intensity and frequency of such events become higher, this could lead to the destruction of several local ecosystems, habitats, and species.
Therefore, it is important for relevant stakeholders to take this into account, when creating plans for the future of the river. Everyone needs to be aware of the climate effect on the Mississippi River and understand how to handle the reverse flow phenomenon.
Best Practices to Mitigate the Impact of Reverse Flow
Given the fact that reverse flow of the Mississippi River is becoming increasingly more common due to extreme weather conditions, it is important for local authorities, governments and organizations to have contingency plans in place to handle the situation, when it occurs.
One such example, is the installation of artificial dams and levees along the river banks. This is to help protect the habitats and local flora and fauna from the reverse flow of water.
In addition, they should create project plans to create better drainage channels, to stop the water from flooding the banks, which leads to a reverse flow. This can help by allowing the water to flow into more accessible areas, where it can eventually be drained.
Moreover, experts suggest that water storage along the banks can help mitigate the impact of reverse flow. This is due to the fact that the extra storage of water can provide a controlled buffer for the river. This can help to delay the reversal, or slow down its intensity, due to the capacity of the water to resist the incoming force.
Finally, they should create emergency plans and create awareness and resources for locals, to help prevent the destruction of their homes, properties, etc during these natural disasters.
Education and Awareness
In order to protect the environment around the Mississippi River, and keep its inhabitants safe, it is crucial for locals, residents and tourists to be aware of the reverse flow phenomenon. They should also understand how this natural trick can be mitigated, and what steps to take if such phenomenon occurs.
This can be achieved through several educational initiatives, such as awareness campaigns and resources, to ensure that everyone is aware of the impact of such disasters. People should be taught the best mitigation methods and understand the implications of climate change.
In addition, local and government organizations should focus on creating and implementing specific plans to handle the occurrence of reverse flow, to help minimize its effects.
These initiatives can help to not just save the environment around the Mississippi River, but also protect the people, habitats and other wildlife around the river. It is important to consider the implications of these disasters, and understand how to best handle them, in the future.
Conclusion
Mississippi River is a major part of North American continent, and it behooves locals and authorities to be aware of the reverse flow phenomenon, and how its occurring ever more frequently, due to climate change.
In order to mitigate its effects, it is important to create awareness campaigns, carry out educational initiatives, and create appropriate plans and strategies to handle the occurrence of such disasters. This can help to reduce the level of destruction to habitats and environment around the river.
