Trying to tame a river

See how the Army Corps of Engineers took drastic action to contain flooding along the Mississippi River:

SOURCES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Weather Service, NOAA, NiagaraParks.com.
GRAPHIC: Sohail Al-Jamea, Wilson Andrews, Bonnie Berkowitz, Gene Thorp and Karen Yourish - The Washington Post. Published May 17, 2011.

Video

Part of Mississippi River closed to shipping

The Coast Guard said it closed the Mississippi River at the port in Natchez, Miss., because barge traffic could increase pressure on the levees. Heavy flooding from Mississippi tributaries has displaced more than 4,000 in the state.

More flood coverage

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• BlogPost: Mississippi River flooding: What happens to the homes affected?
• In Louisiana, a choice between two floods
• VIDEO: Residents warned leave Cajun country
• VIDEO: Mississippi poor struggle with flooding
• Evacuees of Mississippi River flooding move into enclave built for those displaced by Katrina