Missouri River threatens levees, flood warnings issued
A flood warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for several mid-Missouri cities along the Missouri River including Jefferson City, Chamois, Gasconade and Hermann.
Rising water levels on the Missouri River are causing a significant threat to levees, said the US Corps of Engineers Kansas City District.
“Water levels are high now in many locations and are forecasted to get higher,” said the Kansas City District in a press release.
Heavy rainfall and melting snow up north is causing the Missouri River to rise, said McBaine Levee District President John Sam Williamson.
“This is kind of early in the year to have high water on the river,” he said. “I don’t know if that’s a forecast of things to come or not.”
Williamson has been monitoring the stage of the river in Boonville. The river stage was at 22 feet Thursday evening and is expected to crest around 25 feet this weekend, he said.
“There lots of places that don’t have levees so they will probably flood,” Williamson said.
He said areas near Cooper’s Landing and the Katy Trail could become flooded over the next few days.
