Learn more about USGS flood activities related to the May 2011 flood in Memphis, Tennessee, including deploying emergency real-time surface-water stage gages at critical locations in Shelby County.
The USGS Tennessee Water-Science Center worked in cooperation with FEMA, USACE, National Weather Service, and local agencies to provide emergency real-time surface-water stage gages at critical locations in Shelby County. The emergency gages included a replacement gage on the Mississippi River at Memphis and other critical locations. Information from the gages assisted the National Weather Service and the Emergency Management agencies in flood forecasts as the crest of the Mississippi river flooding approached and passed Memphis, Tennessee.
The USGS Tennessee Water-Science Center sent four additional crews deployed to the FEMA emergency designated areas, Stewart, Lake, Dyer, and Shelby Counties in Tennessee to document high-water levels in the flooded areas. Six transducers were also deployed to monitor the flood rise, peak levels, and recession. The combination of the high-water marks, transducers, and the emergency gaging are being used to develop flood inundation maps for FEMA.
USGS Activities in the News:
Below are other science projects associated with this flood event.
Historical Flooding
Tropical Storm Lee
Hurricane Irene
2011 - The Year of the Flood
Summer 2011 Missouri River Basin flood
Spring/Summer 2011 Mississippi River Basin Floods
May 2011 Louisiana flood
May 2011 New Madrid Floodway
April 2011 Arkansas Flood
April 2011 North Dakota Flood
- Overview
Learn more about USGS flood activities related to the May 2011 flood in Memphis, Tennessee, including deploying emergency real-time surface-water stage gages at critical locations in Shelby County.
The USGS Tennessee Water-Science Center worked in cooperation with FEMA, USACE, National Weather Service, and local agencies to provide emergency real-time surface-water stage gages at critical locations in Shelby County. The emergency gages included a replacement gage on the Mississippi River at Memphis and other critical locations. Information from the gages assisted the National Weather Service and the Emergency Management agencies in flood forecasts as the crest of the Mississippi river flooding approached and passed Memphis, Tennessee.
The USGS Tennessee Water-Science Center sent four additional crews deployed to the FEMA emergency designated areas, Stewart, Lake, Dyer, and Shelby Counties in Tennessee to document high-water levels in the flooded areas. Six transducers were also deployed to monitor the flood rise, peak levels, and recession. The combination of the high-water marks, transducers, and the emergency gaging are being used to develop flood inundation maps for FEMA.
USGS Activities in the News:
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this flood event.
Historical Flooding
The USGS provides practical, unbiased information about the Nation's rivers and streams that is crucial in mitigating hazards associated with floods. This site provides information about the USGS activities, data, and services provided during regional high-flow events, such as hurricanes or multi-state flooding events. The USGS response to these events is typically managed by the National Flood...Tropical Storm Lee
During and after Tropical Storm Lee, the USGS made stream flow measurements, sampled suspended sediment, and repaired gages in Connecticut, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and other states in the region.Hurricane Irene
Hurricane Irene, peaking as a Category 3 hurricane, battered Carribean Islands and U.S. states all along the eastern seaboard from South Carolina to Maine on August 21-29, 2011.2011 - The Year of the Flood
2011 proved to be another record-breaking flood year in the United States. USGS Water Science Center personnel from North Dakota to Louisiana measured springtime floods on the Red River of the North, the Ohio River, the Mississippi River, and many tributaries. The Missouri River and its tributaries saw record-breaking snow-melt runoff through the summer, followed closely by Hurricane Irene and...Summer 2011 Missouri River Basin flood
Learn more about USGS flood activities related to the 2011 Missouri River Basin Flood resulting from higher-than-average snowmelt runoff combined with heavy spring rains.Spring/Summer 2011 Mississippi River Basin Floods
Learn more about USGS flood activities related to the Spring/Summer 2011 floods throughout the Mississippi River Basin.May 2011 Louisiana flood
Learn more about USGS flood activities related to the May 2011 flood in Louisiana, including additional real-time monitoring for the Morganza and Bonnet Carre Spillways which were opened to release floodwaters into the Mississippi River.May 2011 New Madrid Floodway
Learn more about USGS flood activities related to the May 2011 New Madrid Floodway breaches.April 2011 Arkansas Flood
Learn more about USGS flood activities related to the April 2011 Arkansas Flood.April 2011 North Dakota Flood
Learn more about USGS flood activities related to the April 2011 North Dakota Flood resulting from sudden winter snowmelt due to warmer-than-expected temperatures and rain. - Publications
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