Geography AS Case Studies

Flood Management in an MEDC: Mississippi River (1993 flood)

Location: The Mississippi river is located in USA and flooded between April-October 1993 covering a total area of 30,000miles squared.

About: The river basin is the 5th largest in the world and the third largest river in the world. The floodplain is 200km wide at its widest point.

Causes:

Physical

Human

• The soil was saturated from the usual spring rain.

• The atmospheric conditions bought more rain for a further three months (May, June, and July.) :

• jet stream swung south bringing cool dry air

• warm air moved north causing thunderstorms

• two high pressure systems developed blocking movement of thunderstorms.

• Urbanisation of the…