Recent flooding affects area parks, trails, roads
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Heavy rain and flash floods in Columbia have local parks under several inches underwater Thursday.
The MKT Trail, Bear Creek and sections of Twin Lakes Park are still recovering from flash floods. The Scott Boulevard entrances to the MKT Trail was blocked off on Thursday, Bear Creek's entrance obstructed by water, and Hinkson Creek overflowed into Twin Lakes' northwest parking lot.
While the excess water makes navigation difficult, local outdoorsmen were seen biking and jogging around puddles and on dry patches of different trails.
Columbia resident Joe Martin found that the water helped him find new paths to walk.
"We had never seen the water this high right off the MKT where we came from," Martin said. "That kind of is why we ended up over here, actually, exploring new places because of the flooding."
The weather also postponed Martin's holiday plans. Martin was planning on visiting family on the Thursday, but had to move the travel day to Friday.
Boone County Joint Communications had announced multiple road closures on Wednesday and Thursday, with the most recent being the intersection North Oneal Road and West Wilcox Road at 4:25 p.m., but a viewer showed ABC 17 News that the road was flooded out hours before. The road appeared to be cleared by 7:30 p.m.
Several water rescues have occurred over the past few days, including one in Boone County on Wednesday on Gillespie Bridge Road, where officials says one woman is presumed dead after a vehicle was swept away in floodwater. A Columbia Police Department spokesman said officials are now waiting for water levels to drop down so fire personnel can reach the vehicle.
Another water rescue occurred Thursday near Three Creeks Conservation Area after two girls ended up in water and were holding onto a tree after a horse was swept into floodwaters. Neither girl needed medical attention, officials told ABC 17 News.
Additionally, Cooper’s Landing by the Missouri River announced on its social media that it had to cancel its Independence Day events because of weather conditions and flooding.
However, Columbia’s Fire in the Sky event at Stephens Lake Park is expected to go on as planned, the city announced in a Thursday morning press release.
Flooding caused multiple roads in Fulton to be blocked off on Thursday and Memorial Park was covered with water. Cole County Public Works announced that 10 roads were closed Thursday because of flooding.
