The Spring of 2011 brought heavy rainfall and snowmelt throughout the Midwest, resulting in record flow rates and flood stages on the Lower Mississippi River from Cairo, Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico. In many locations, the flood crested at levels above those from the great floods of 

1927 and 1937. A levee was intentionally breached near Cairo to relieve pressure and save the town from catastrophic flooding. The Morganza Spillway in Louisiana was opened for the first time since 1973, flooding nearly 5,000 square miles of rural land. Approximately 25,000 homes 

were evacuated from Illinois through Louisiana.This report summarizes the information and findings from the reconnaissance. The report is organized as follows: the flood protection system and the hydrologic event are described, observations from the reconnaissance are presented, and conclusions and recommendations are provided. A detailed itinerary of the reconnaissance activities is included as an appendix. Any opinions, findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the associated organizations and funding agencies.