18 Apr 2013

Why doesn’t the Corps of Engineers raise the gates on the Mississippi River dams to reduce the pool levels (lower the river) now before the snow melt and spring rains to reduce the amount of flooding?

ANSWER: There are many reasons why this idea is not practical. The first, and foremost reason is that although they appear to be large flood control structures like a reservoir, locks and dams do not store water; they cannot prevent or cause flooding and they have no flood control capabilities. If the Mississippi River dams could control flooding, that is, hold back or store water, the pool created behind the dam would be so enormous that it would flood many communities.