1. Earthshots
  2. Illinois/Indiana, USA
  3. New Cutoff Close Up
Description

Cutoffs are common on meandering rivers like the Wabash, but it’s rare to be able to witness a cutoff forming as it happens. Scientists are using this cutoff as a chance to learn more about what happens when these cutoffs develop and how cutoffs change after they form.

View Related Imagery & Stories

Location

June 9, 2007, Landsat 5 (path/row 22/34) — Before the June 2008 flood

June 9, 2007, Landsat 5 (path/row 22/34) — Before the June 2008 flood

June 11, 2008, Landsat 5 (path/row 22/34) — During the June 2008 flood

June 11, 2008, Landsat 5 (path/row 22/34) — During the June 2008 flood

July 13, 2008, Landsat 5 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

July 13, 2008, Landsat 5 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

June 30, 2009, Landsat 5 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

June 30, 2009, Landsat 5 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

Aug. 4, 2010, Landsat 5 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

Aug. 4, 2010, Landsat 5 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

June 4, 2011, Landsat 5 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

June 4, 2011, Landsat 5 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

June 14, 2012, Landsat 7 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

June 14, 2012, Landsat 7 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

Aug. 28, 2013, Landsat 8 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

Aug. 28, 2013, Landsat 8 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

Aug. 15, 2014, Landsat 8 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

Aug. 15, 2014, Landsat 8 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

Oct. 13, 2015, Landsat 7 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

Oct. 13, 2015, Landsat 7 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

Sep. 5, 2016, Landsat 8 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

Sep. 5, 2016, Landsat 8 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

Sep. 8, 2017, Landsat 8 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

Sep. 8, 2017, Landsat 8 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

Aug. 2, 2018, Landsat 7 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

Aug. 2, 2018, Landsat 7 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

Aug. 29, 2019, Landsat 8 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

Aug. 29, 2019, Landsat 8 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

Aug. 23, 2020, Landsat 7 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

Aug. 23, 2020, Landsat 7 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

June 9, 2007, Landsat 5 (path/row 22/34) — Before the June 2008 flood
June 11, 2008, Landsat 5 (path/row 22/34) — During the June 2008 flood
July 13, 2008, Landsat 5 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA
June 30, 2009, Landsat 5 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA
Aug. 4, 2010, Landsat 5 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA
June 4, 2011, Landsat 5 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA
June 14, 2012, Landsat 7 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA
Aug. 28, 2013, Landsat 8 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA
Aug. 15, 2014, Landsat 8 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA
Oct. 13, 2015, Landsat 7 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA
Sep. 5, 2016, Landsat 8 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA
Sep. 8, 2017, Landsat 8 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA
Aug. 2, 2018, Landsat 7 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA
Aug. 29, 2019, Landsat 8 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA
Aug. 23, 2020, Landsat 7 (path/row 22/34) — New cutoff on the Wabash River, USA

Illinois/Indiana, USA Additional Imagery & Stories

A New Cutoff
A New Cutoff

Floods are examples of short-term environmental change. They cause substantial damage and change for only a short time, such as a couple of weeks. The...

Eel River
Eel River

Just west of Clay City, there is a large, nearly square-shaped area of floodwater in the 2008 flood image. It covers about 2,200 acres. The fact that ...

Lawrenceville and Vincennes
Lawrenceville and Vincennes

In this area at near Lawrenceville, Illinois, and Vincennes, Indiana, some fields are green, some are maroon, and others are pink. Why are these field...

More about This Flood
More about This Flood

The flooding that happened in summer 2008 in Indiana and Illinois started late in 2007 with above normal snowfall. This extra snow saturated the groun...