Rivers expected to rise around Missouri this spring
Missourians continue to clean up and repair their communities after devastating flooding.
The effects were apparent in Mid-Missouri with several roads closed, and the flooding likely is not done.
River levels have gone down to normal after reaching moderate flood stage in many locations, but with above-average precipitation this past winter and more than normal expected through July, flooding could return in weeks.
The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather team is expecting above average rainfall for much of the country through mid-summer. In Mid-Missouri, rainfall amounts will be 30 percent to 40 percent higher than average. Peak river levels around Mid-Missouri are expected to reach minor or moderate flood stage by the middle of May.
What happens upstream can trigger issues farther south. This year, states to the north in the Missouri River Basin saw higher than normal snowfall and rainfall. An early April snow storm brought almost 2 feet of snow to the Dakotas. Snow melts and runs into streams and smaller rivers that feed into the Missouri River. The excess rain certainly doesn’t help.
In the next month, the Missouri River at Jefferson City is expected to go into moderate flood stage, which is 25 feet. At 28 feet, which is still moderate flood stage, Miller and Walnut streets in Jefferson City begin to flood, essentially cutting off all of these businesses in the area.
The most infamous flood in 1993 killed 50 people and cost $15 billion. Ninety-five river forecast points broke records across the Midwest and some cities didn’t recover. In Mid-Missouri, hours were tacked on to commutes to get around Jefferson City, and Cedar City disappeared.
Historic flood crests
Impressive flooding has continued to touch Mid-Missouri after the Great Flood. In 1995, the river at Jefferson City rose to 33 feet, and in 2011 record amounts of water had to be released from nearly every dam along the Missouri River. Top crests for the river in Jefferson City were also recorded in 2013 and 2015.
The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather Team will be tracking river levels closely as an active weather pattern sets up through mid-spring. Make sure you have a plan if you live in a flood zone.
