Mississippi River, USA

This image of the Mississippi river shows a region of the southern United States that is prone to flooding. Spaceborne imaging radar data can help scientists assess flooding potentials and improve land management for future agricultural development. This site along the river lies north of Vicksburg, Mississippi, along the Arkansas— Mississippi—Louisiana state borders. Louisiana and Arkansas lie above the river and Mississippi is below the river. This region is characterized by rich farmland where a variety of crops are grown. The town in the extreme upper left-hand corner is Eudora, Arkansas. The long, narrow lakes that lie roughly parallel to the river are called Oxbow lakes, named for the u-shaped harness worn by oxen.