Engineers, business owners watching levees closely as floodwaters swell
Workers from Jefferson City, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Capital Sand Company worked to repair a break in a levee Friday in the Cedar City area on the north side of the Missouri River.
Capital View Drainage District and Renz Levee District officials said they are watching the river level closely and that a sustained reduction will yield the first opportunity to inspect the structures and fully assess the damage.
However, with the Missouri River entering major flood stage, it could be several days before authorities can get a substantive look at the levees.
While the floodwater did overtake the structures in the Renz Levee District, it did not appear to suffer any breaks or breaches, according to SelecTurf owner Jim Keeven.
Keeven’s more than 500 acres of crops are in the low-lying area of northern Jefferson City. He’s now lobbying for the district to invest in a refurbishment of the levee structures.
Approximately 70 percent of Keeven’s sod crops will be lost this year due to floods.
