By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

Emergency management officials continue to closely watch the Missouri River, even as the level of the Missouri dipped a little over the weekend.

The National Weather Service reports the Missouri River at St. Joseph stood at 25.64 feet at 6:30 Sunday evening. The Missouri River level dropped a bit this weekend and now is heading toward major flood stage with NWS expecting the Missouri to crest late Wednesday at 28.1 feet, a full foot lower than earlier projections and below the record crest of 32.1 feet reached in 1993. The Missouri River rose to just under 30 feet at St. Joseph in 2011.

Gov. Mike Parson, who took a helicopter tour of flooding in northwest Missouri Friday, is hesitant to compare this year with 2011.

“I don’t know that we’re comparing it there, but we’re all concerned about is it going to be like 2011 or not? I don’t think any of us know this yet,” Parson tells reporters.

Still, Parson says officials are using the hard-earned experience of 2011 to make sure they can respond to whatever happens this year.

“We’ve been preparing for this,” Parson says. “Everybody’s trying to make sure we dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s and make sure we’re ready for this as best we can be.”

The state closed Interstate 29 at Rock Port Friday as floodwaters covered the interstate across the state line in Iowa. Missouri Department of Transportation officials have been directing traffic to Interstate 35, north to I-80, back across to I-29. High water has closed a number of area roads. Highway 136, which carries traffic from northwest Missouri to Brownville, Nebraska, has been closed.

Atchison County Emergency Management Director Rhonda Wiley says she observed many stressed levees during a helicopter tour of flooding with Gov. Parson.

“I believe that we saw some areas that were probably true breaches in Holt County,” Wiley says. “Then we saw some toppage up in Atchison County as well. And, so, I believe there are some areas that have already breached.”

Wiley says fewer than 100 homes had been flooded in Atchison County with all by two families seeking shelter with relatives or friends.

The threat of flooding at Rosecrans Memorial Airport has prompted the 139^th Airlift Wing to take precautions. Vice Commander of the 139^th, John Clark, says the C-130s at Rosecrans have been moved to higher ground.

“Mainly, right now, what we want to say is that we are still fully mission capable and engaged for you sir and for the nation as a whole and we’ll continue to remain at that level of readiness,” Clarks tells Gov. Parson.

A move by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had taken pressure off the Missouri River. The Corps reports it has reduced releases from the Gavins Point Dam, upstream at Yankton, South Dakota. The Corps had increased water releases from Gavins Point from 50,000 cubic feet per second to 90,000 to relieve widespread flooding in Nebraska. It announce over the weekend, it is reducing releases to 73,000 cfs with the intention of lowering releases to 20,000.

 

 

 

 

 

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

Water releases from Gavins Point Dam upstream on the Missouri River are being scaled back by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the projected crest of the river has been lowered by the National Weather Service.

The Corps says it reduced releases from the dam at Yankton, South Dakota from 90,000 cubic feet per second to 73,000 Saturday morning. The Corps says it will continue to reduce releases from Gavins Point over the next few days, dropping to 20,000 cubic feet per second on Tuesday.

Widespread, devastating flooding in Nebraska prompted the Corps to increase flows from the upstream dam from 50,000 cubic feet per second to 90,000. While the move relieved pressure on Nebraska’s saturated river system, it increased fears the added water would cause additional flooding along the Missouri River downstream.

The National Weather Service reports the Missouri River actually dropped from just over 25 feet in St. Joseph to 24.85 feet at 5:30 Saturday evening. Still, NWS projects the Missouri will reach 29.3 feet by the middle of next week. That is lower than an earlier projection of 30 feet. The record crest of the Missouri River at St. Joseph is 32.1 feet, reached during the devastating flood of 1993.

 

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

Gov. Mike Parson tours flood damage in northwest Missouri, then addresses a news conference at St. Joseph’s Rosecrans Airport to assure area residents the state stands ready to help as the Missouri River rises to near record heights.

Parson says he observed the flooding during a helicopter tour of the area.

“There’s no question we’re concerned about this,” Parson tells reporters. “The water is going to rise. We know that. There are some levee breaches out there now, which I don’t know if that’s so terribly uncommon under these circumstances. It’s always a concern.”

Parson says his tour raised concerns about residents who have had to flee homes as the Missouri River continues to rise.

“Anytime you’re seeing that kind of devastation out there and you see water levels rising and you see people’s homes out there that’s getting close to the water line or electric plants, things like that that you see out there, there’s concern for that,” Parson says.

Recent heavy rains, snowmelt up north, and additional water releases upstream have driven the Missouri River to heights the area hasn’t seen since the 2011 flood. The National Weather Service says the Missouri River at St. Joseph rose to higher than 25 feet Friday evening, heading toward a projected crest of 30.1 feet by Monday. The record crest is 32.1 feet, set in 1993.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers increased water releases from Gavins Point Dam in Yankton, South Dakota to ease widespread flooding in Nebraska. The Corps had been releasing 50,000 cubic feet per second and had intended to increase flows to 60,000. But with the devastating flooding in Nebraska, the Corps increase releases to 90,000, increasing worries about flooding downstream.

The Missouri and its tributaries have exceeded their banks in Iowa, overflowing Interstate 29 near Omaha. That prompted the Missouri Department of Transportation to close I-29 at mile marker 110 near Rock Port. Those wishing to travel north on I-29 are advised to take I-35 to I-80 and across.

Despite growing fears about increased flooding, Parson says he believes local emergency management agencies have responded well.

“I think right now everything is in place where it needs to be,” according to Parson. “We’ve got boots on the ground here. You’ve got the local level that understands this better than we do and that’s kind of why I’m here today, is to get that input from everyone who lives up here and try to do whatever we can to give them the tools they need to be successful to try to make sure we handle this situation the best we can.”

 

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

Interstate 29 near the Missouri/Iowa border has been closed due to flooding in Iowa.

The Missouri Department of Transportation reports I-29 at Rock Port, Mile Marker 110, has been closed.

MoDOT advises motorists wishing to travel north on I-29 to use Interstate 35, then I-80 in Iowa.

More Information

Full closures of I-29 are in place at

US 136 at Rock Port, Mo. (Exit 110); and

Iowa 92 South of Council Bluffs, Iowa (Exit 48)

Those who would normally use I-29 as a through route should instead use

I-35 N from Kansas City to

I-80 West in Des Moines to

I-29 near the Council Bluffs/Omaha metro area

and vice-versa until further notice.

Travelers already on I-29 North

Drivers who are currently heading north on I-29 should use US 71 North north of St. Joseph to I-35 if possible.

MoDOT says those north of the US 71 junction can continue to Rock Port, take US 136 East to US 71 north to I-35. Motorists should not take US 275 North, due to flooding in Hamburg, Iowa.

MoDOT advises motorists not to drive through floodwaters. It takes as little as six inches of water to take control of a vehicle away from the driver. Also, there might be unseen damage to the road surface below the floodwater.

MoDOT provides road condition information through its Customer Service Center. Dial 888-ASK-MODOT (888-275-6636) to speak with a customer service representative 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Click here for Missouri road conditions by the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Click here for Iowa road conditions by the Iowa Department of Transportation.

Click here for Nebraska road conditions by the Nebraska Department of Transportation.

 

By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post

Flooding along the Missouri River could prove devastating to northwest Missouri’s transportation system.

“This is historic. This is bigger than ’93. This is bigger than 2011.”

Missouri Department of Transportation District Maintenance and Traffic Engineer, Tonya Lohman, in the MoDOT St. Joseph office says MoDOT officials are preparing for the worst.

“There’s a lot of flooding going on,” Lohman says. “This is an historic one and it is going to be very impactful for us for several days, weeks, months; I don’t know.”

Recent heavy rain, snowmelt up north, and increased water releases from upstream dams are all feeding into the Missouri River, pushing it near record heights. The National Weather Service expects the Missouri River to crest at 30.1 feet early next week, just shy of the record 32.1 feet reached in the 1993 flood. The river will stay near that high for a couple of days before beginning to recede, according to the NWS forecast.

Lohman says MoDOT is in contact with Iowa and Nebraska to coordinate a regional approach for transportation.

Lohman anticipates flooding will close roads throughout northwest Missouri, including portions of Interstate 29 north of St. Joseph. She also anticipates the floodwaters will do great damage to area roads and bridges.

“We believe right now that the Missouri River will be over-topping levees in Iowa. Iowa is making plans right now to close I-29,” according to Lohman “We anticipate over-topping levees in the Atchison County area as well. We may end up closing (Highway) 136 or I-29 in that area.”

Lohman doesn’t just expect flooding to close roads. She expects prolong flooding to do much structural damage to roads and bridges throughout northwest Missouri.

Lohman warns motorists not to drive into floodwaters, pointing out it doesn’t take much rushing water to take over control of a vehicle.

Click here for information on Missouri road conditions from the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Click here for information on Iowa road conditions from the Iowa Department of Transportation.

Click here for information on Nebraska road conditions from the Nebraska Department of Transportation.

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

A ray of sunshine in an otherwise gloomy weather situation as the National Weather Service doesn’t anticipate any more rain for a while.

Weather Service meteorologist Al Pietrycha says the Missouri River is expected to reach major flood stage this weekend after reaching a record crest upstream in Brownville, Nebraska.

“St. Joe is looking, the forecast, to have major flooding to start to occur during the day,” according to Pietrycha. “We hit major flooding at 27 feet and that is projected to occur sometime tomorrow and persist through the weekend.”

The Missouri River is expected to reach a record crest at Brownville this weekend. The record level at the Rulo-Brownville area is 44.8 feet. The river is projected to reach 47.1 feet this weekend before it begins to go down.

Friday morning, the Missouri River level at St. Joseph was just below 25 feet, heading swiftly to 27 feet, considered major flood stage.

It will keep rising.

The National Weather Service expects the Missouri River to reach 30.1 feet in St. Joseph early next week and hold at near record levels until the middle of next week, when it is expected to begin to slowly recede. The record level of the Missouri River in St. Joseph is 32.1 feet, set in 1993.

Pietrycha says the heavy rain which has aggravated flooding conditions in northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas has ended.

“The good news is we’re not expecting any rain or heavy rain any time over the next five to seven days or so, in the area or north of the area that would flow back down into the Missouri,” Pietrycha says. “So, that will help with the water levels.”

Widespread flooding in Nebraska prompted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to increase water releases upstream of the Missouri River from Gavins Point Dam. The Corps had been releasing 50,000 cubic feet per second and has nearly doubled the output to 90,000, putting extreme pressure on the federal levee system downstream.

 

While temperatures will remain below normal through the weekend, cloud cover and winds will be on the decrease Friday, with only partly cloudy skies expected Saturday and Sunday. Here’s the 7-day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 46. Northwest wind 15 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 26. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light in the evening.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 53. Light and variable wind becoming west southwest 6 to 11 mph in the afternoon.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 28. North northwest wind around 7 mph.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 50. Northwest wind 6 to 8 mph.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 28.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 49.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 30.

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 55.

Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 57.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 36.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 61.

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

Worries about flooding have been rising the past few days, now another concern has been added.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is increasing water releases from Gavins Point Dam at Yankton, South Dakota into the Missouri River.

Chief of Missouri River Basin Water Management for the Corps, John Remus, admits the Corps doesn’t know exactly what impact that will have on the already swollen Missouri River.

“I do want to say, though, that we really don’t have an option when it comes to Gavins Point,” Remus tells St. Joseph Post. “There’s very little flood control storage in that reservoir and the runoff is pretty excessive coming in just to that reservoir itself. So, we really had no choice but to increase the releases.”

The Corps of Engineers had increased releases from Gavins point to 50,000 cubic feet per second. The Corps had planned to increase releases to 60,000 today, but last night announced it would increase flows to 90,000 to ease widespread flooding in Nebraska that has prompted evacuations of cities and left at least one person dead. Snowpack melt in the Upper Missouri Basin and recent area rain have increased the amount of water pouring into the upstream dam system. Five of the six upstream dams have been able to handle the excess water, but not Gavins Point.

Remus says the Corps is well aware of flooding fears along the Missouri River.

“We’re concerned with that all the time,” Remus says. “The water that people are going to see flooding, whether it’s on the Missouri River main stem or tributaries, is really coming from uncontrolled basins, basins without reservoirs on them. So, there’s really not a whole lot anybody can do to prevent that type of flooding.”

While confident about the federal levee system, Remus worries some of the smaller levees might not hold.

“There are some levees that may not, some privately owned levees or some non-federal levees that may not be able to handle this water,” Remus says. “It kind of depends on the timing of the runoff from the various tributaries.”

Remus says the Corps understands the anxiety its action causes and will strive to keep from worsening flooding in northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas.

 

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

Widespread, historic flooding in Nebraska could have a major impact on northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers drastically increases water releases from Gavins Point Dam to relieve pressure upstream.

The Army Corps has announced it is increasing releases to 90,000 cubic feet per second from Gavins Point, nearly twice the current releases and far above the 60,000 the Corps had said earlier it would begin releasing on Friday.

In a news release, the Corps stated the increase is necessary as “unregulated inflows from the Niobrara and other watersheds continue to spill into the reservoir.”

The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency reports one death as a farmer drove a tractor into floodwaters at Shell Creek near Columbus to assist a motorist and the tractor was swept away by rushing high water.

The Corps has stated it does not know how the increased flows from Gavins Point will affect the Missouri River downstream. Atchison County emergency management officials have already urged residents living west of Interstate 29 to evacuate as fears of flooding grow with the rising of the Missouri River.