Events with tag - Flood

January 1717

First Mississippi River Levee Built

In 1717, the first levee on the Mississippi River was constructed near New Orleans under the supervision of French engineer Pierre Le Blond de La Tour. This three-foot-high, one-mile-long structure marked the beginning of what would become one of North America's most extensive flood control systems.

June 28, 1879

Mississippi River Commission Established

Congress established the Mississippi River Commission as the first federal water management authority to coordinate flood control and navigation improvements along America's largest river system.

April 16, 1927

Great Mississippi Flood

The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 was one of America's most catastrophic natural disasters, inundating 27,000 square miles across seven states and forcing over 637,000 people to evacuate their homes. The disaster caused $400 million in damage and led to significant changes in federal flood control policies.

May 15, 1928

Mississippi River and Tributaries Project Launch

The Mississippi River and Tributaries Project was initiated through the Flood Control Act of 1928, establishing a comprehensive $325 million flood control system to protect the Mississippi River Valley following the devastating 1927 flood.

May 18, 1933

Tennessee Valley Authority Established

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was established as a federal corporation during the Great Depression to address poverty, flood control, and rural electrification across seven southeastern states.

April 1, 1993

Great Flood of 1993

The catastrophic flooding event that devastated nine Midwestern states, causing over $15 billion in damages and forcing 54,000 people to evacuate. The flood submerged 75 towns and destroyed thousands of homes along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.