Mississippi
EXPLAINER: Mississippi River numbers don’t give true depth – The Vicksburg Post
EXPLAINER: Mississippi River numbers don’t give true depth
Printed 3:53 pm Friday, October 21, 2022
- The Mississippi River is at near-record low ranges, which is limiting maritime visitors in Vicksburg and different elements of the decrease river. The uncovered sandbar alongside the Mississippi River is pictured right here on Monday, close to Golding Barge Line. (Photograph by Harrison Hadaway)
With the world struggling within the grips of a long-term spell of dry climate brought on by a 3rd consecutive La Niña yr, rivers are dropping to near-record ranges with little hope of the regular rain essential to deliver them again within the close to future.
Within the U.S., the Mississippi River, one of many nation’s main arteries for commerce, has been a sufferer of the drought, with low ranges forcing firms utilizing the river to ship much less in every barge than regular.
Regionally, river levels at Vicksburg have dropped under 1 foot. Friday afternoon, the Mississippi River was at 0.17 ft; it’s forecast to be at minus 0.2 ft Wednesday.
Nevertheless, the low numbers don’t imply the river is low sufficient to wade over to the Louisiana aspect and go to somebody in Delta.
In actuality, the river is far deeper than the worth somebody could learn within the river forecasts. In reality, the river’s degree is increased than the 0.17 studying we had Friday.
“On the Vicksburg Gauge, ‘zero’ is the same as an elevation of 46.23 ft above sea degree,” mentioned Sabrina Dalton, public affairs chief for the U.S. Military Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District.
“A Vicksburg Gauge of ‘10’ equates to a water floor elevation of 56.23 ft,” she mentioned. “Proper now, we now have roughly 13 ft of water or above within the Vicksburg District’s space of accountability on the Mississippi River channel. The U.S. Coast Guard has restricted draft to 9 ft.”
On Oct. 19, 2022, the stage on the Mississippi River at Vicksburg was 1.3 ft. At the moment, the precise water floor elevation was 47.5 ft; 1.3 ft is the stage above the gauge zero or ‘datum,’ which is used as the idea for measuring the river degree.
Particularly, on the measurement location for the Mississippi River at Vicksburg that learn 1.3 ft meant the deepest level within the channel was over 70 ft. The depth, nevertheless, tremendously varies transferring upstream and downstream.
A stage of 1.3 ft is roughly 9 ft under the common stage at Vicksburg for October. That is the bottom Vicksburg has been since 2012 when it reached minus 1.07 ft. This would be the sixth time since 2000 that Vicksburg has reached levels under 1.5 ft.
The Vicksburg District measures water ranges on the decrease Mississippi River by an unlimited satellite tv for pc telemetry, or measurement, a gauging system that transmits data again to a satellite tv for pc and subsequently to information acquisition servers at a number of federal businesses. Relying on the situation, varied gage strategies are used.
The Vicksburg District has roughly 200 satellite tv for pc gages throughout 68,000 sq. miles and has a staff of six hydrologic technicians who oversee the upkeep of this advanced system of gages.
About John Surratt
John Surratt is a graduate of Louisiana State College with a level usually research. He has labored as an editor, reporter and photographer for newspapers in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Put up employees since 2011 and covers metropolis authorities. He and his spouse attend St. Paul Catholic Church and he’s a member of the Port Metropolis Kiwanis Membership.
Extra by John
