20
Flood Alert!
Back on the Mississippi, you reach
the lower river. Heavy spring rains
and quickly melting snow can cause
devastating floods in this area.
 Tennessee residents
paddle a boat
through a flooded
neighborhood in
May 2011.
The floodwaters are often brought to the
river by its tributaries, the Ohio and Missouri
Rivers. The river basin soaks up some of the
water. But if the soil becomes
saturated
,
the water rushes down the tributaries
to the main stream, which bursts its
banks and floods the land.
You Are Here
St. Louis
Springfield
Memphis
M
issouri
T
ennessee
I
llinois
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Missouri
River
Ohio
River
