Mississippi River

Arkansas officials said it had the potential to become a "catastrophic event," adding, "the bridge was closed to vehicular traffic and the river was closed to barge traffic as a safety precaution."

Record flooding on the Mississippi River sent too much fresh water into the Gulf of Mexico, killing oysters and crippling other seafood harvests that depend on saltwater to survive.

Long-term flooding along major waterways stranded barges up and down the Mississippi River this summer and caused havoc with river transportation and the economy that depends on it.

The central U.S. just experienced the most widespread river flooding ever recorded there. Flood defenses in major cities largely performed well, but many smaller communities were simply overwhelmed.

An oil rig southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River is reporting sustained winds of 76 mph, with gusts up to 87 mph.

Barry is now predicted to become a Category 1 hurricane shortly before making landfall Saturday, with maximum winds of 75 mph.

The record-breaking flooding is threatening communities and farmland along the upper Mississippi. Davenport, Iowa, is experiencing downtown flooding. The high water is continuing to move downriver.

Valor I, Valor II and Starr, a trio of bald eagles in Illinois, hatched three eaglets this year. No such luck for the closely-watched eagle couples of Washington, D.C.

For more than 150 years, scientists have known that levees increase flood risk on the Mississippi River. That hasn't stopped local officials from building up levees in response to more severe floods.

More than 20,000 people have been rescued from the floodwaters. The state's governor describes the flooding as "unprecedented," and authorities are warning that waters could rise more in some areas.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon activated the National Guard as flooding closed interstate highways and forced people from their homes. The river is expected to crest Thursday at its highest level since 1993.