FLOOD OF 1973 POST FLOOD REPORT MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES FLOODING Prepared by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District October 1973 TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword Authority Purpose and Scope Major Meteorological and Hydrological Occurrences Emergency Activities Physical and Economic Flood Effects Effects of the Flood on Fish and Wildlife Resources Public Affairs Recommendations TABLES 1. Area inundated by basin, Flood of 1973, Vicksburg District 2. Area inundated by state, Flood of 1973, Vicksburg District 3. Area inundated by county, Mississippi, Flood of 1973 Vicksburg District 4. Area inundated by parish, Louisiana, Flood of 1973, Vicksburg District 5. Area inundated by county, Arkansas, Flood of 1973, Vicksburg District 6. Estimated flood damages, Flood of 1973, Vicksburg District 7. Estimated flood damages, Mississippi, Flood of 1973, Vicksburg District 8. Estimated flood damages, Louisiana, Flood of 1973, Vicksburg District 9. Estimated flood damages, Arkansas, Flood of 1973, Vicksburg District 10. Estimated flood damages, by county, Mississippi, Flood of 1973, Vicksburg District 11. Estimated flood damages, by parish, Louisiana, Flood of 1973, Vicksburg District 12. Estimated flood damages, by county, Arkansas, Flood of 1973, Vicksburg District 13. Effects of flood-control works, Flood of 1973, Vicksburg District 14. Effects of flood-control works, Mississippi, Flood of 1973, Vicksburg District 15. Effects of flood-control works, Louisiana, Flood of 1973, Vicksburg District 16. Effects of flood-control works, Arkansas, Flood of 1973, Vicksburg District PLATES 1. Flooded area - Existing conditions 2. Flooded area - Without flood-control projects 3. Flood control projects ABSTRACT Beginning in late September 1972 and continuing through the spring of 1973, extraordinary meteorological and hydrological events persisted with a relentless variety of phenomena over areas and basins within the Vicksburg District. Storm cells pelted some areas with measured precipitation exceeding amounts expected to occur on an average of only once in 100 years. Many record stages and durations of flooding were recorded. Intense storm systems accompanied by torrential rainfalls resulted in 5,309,650 acres being inundated. In April, with thousands of people being adversely affected and with flood damages soaring, 62 counties/parishes lying either completely or partially within the District's boundary were included in the Presidentially declared disaster area. At the peak of flood fight operations, 500 District personnel, augmented with 62 temporary duty personnel from other Corps Districts, were heavily engaged in emergency activities. Many emergency operations were performed; the most significant being the raising of Federally constructed levees. This included 96 miles of west bank Mississippi River levee, 36 miles of Red River backwater area levee, and 28 miles of levee surrounding Greenwood, Mississippi. Total funds expended under Public Law 99 by the District during the flood emergency amounted to $9,483,000. Flood damages, consisting primarily of agricultural losses, have been estimated at $335,491,000. Twenty-three deaths were attributable to the flood. Without Corps of Engineers flood-control works, 10,257,000 acres would have been inundated with associated flood damages estimated at $4,724,100,000. The stage at Vicksburg, Mississippi, was the highest recorded since 1937, whereas the observed flow for the months October 1972 through June 1973 exceeded the 1937 volume for this period by about 60 percent. LizardTech's Djvu plug-in is needed to view these reports. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ENTIRE REPORT For questions or comments, contact K. Van Wilson.