(UPDATE 8:51 a.m. Friday) – The City of St. Joseph and Buchanan County are issuing a mandatory evacuation of the area behind the L-455 levee system on the Missouri side and the area protected by the R-471/460 levee on the Kansas side.

The forecasted crest is now expected to reach 32 feet between 1 and 4 p.m. today. According to City officials, while the federal levees are in good condition and operating as they should, precautionary measures need to be taken to ensure the safety residents. The area behind the L455 levee unit is essentially all areas west of Lake Avenue/US 59 Highway, between Contrary Creek on the south and Atchison street on the north. The area protected by the R-460/471 levee system is the entire area from the bluffs in Wathena to the Missouri River and to the airport on the north.

The City says residents and businesses should take steps to start the evacuation process immediately.

The St. Joseph Police Department is going door-to-door to notify those in the affected areas protected by the levee on the Missouri side.

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10:55 p.m. Thursday – The City of St. Joseph and Buchanan County Thursday night issued a voluntary evacuation of areas behind the L-455 levee system on the Missouri side.

The area behind the L-455 levee unit is essentially all areas west of Lake Avenue/US 59 Highway, between Contrary Creek on the south and Atchison street on the north.

An evacuation shelter is in place at the Keys Church at 6002 South 9th St.

As of 6:30 Friday morning, the National Weather Service reported the Missouri River was at 31.45 feet. The projected crest is 32 feet. The record crest was reached in 1993 at 32.1 feet.