As we are all aware, flooding has gripped western Iowa and much of Nebraska. This water is moving all along the Missouri River valley, on its way to the Mississippi. Even as the waters recede, there is still worry about a possible return as the snowpack melts in the northern states like Montana, and the Dakotas.
The Mississippi River has two major tributaries to its path, the Missouri and the Ohio rivers. Those two rivers handle a lot of water on their own, not to mention the other more minor feeding rivers like the Des Moines, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota rivers. Northern Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota dealt with a rare occurrence of many heavy snowfalls and that snow is melting fast.
Eventually, all this water from all these states ends up in one place, the Gulf of Mexico. But it is going to pass through a lot of territory to get there. Unlike many of us in the north, southern states have already begun their spring planting, so we have the chance of crop damage as well. So just how much of the crop ground is in danger?
The short answer: 55% of the U.S. intended corn acres and 60% of the intended soybean acres. This is according to a report from business weather intelligence firm Plantalytics. We have already seen damage to thousands of acres in Iowa and Nebraska. Many of those acres may not be planted this spring. Many intended corn planting acres may be switched to beans. Right now, it is just too soon to tell those numbers accurately.
The Mississippi and Missouri river valleys are expected to experience moderate to severe flooding all along their lengths this year. This is from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA also puts a minor risk of flooding in the southern and eastern United States.
We still have a long way to go, and many variables which can make these predictions change. However, one thing is certain. There is a lot of water looking for the quickest path to the sea, and it has a long way to travel.
