The flooding Mississippi River is going down at the last of the big trouble spots, but it will likely be months before the full scope of the damage is known.
Information from the National Weather Service showed that the river crested at 10.1 feet above flood stage early Friday at Cape Girardeau, Mo., and had dropped by one-tenth of a foot by late-morning. Cape Girardeau was the final river gauge point facing what the weather service characterizes as “major” flooding.
Sandbagging was successfully hold river water at bay at nearby Dutchtown, Mo.
Heavy rain last week spurred a sudden rise in the Mississippi and other Midwestern rivers. While the water level is dropping, the river is expected to remain above flood stage at many towns well into next month.