Missouri flood recovery group prepares for potential flooding in 2020

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Flood Recovery Advisory Working Group plans to continue meeting through April 2020.

The group, established by Governor Mike Parson in August, is putting together flooding recovery recommendations to give the governor's office by the end of the month.

Focus areas include the state's current levee system, flooding mitigation and factors that impact flooding such as climate change.

"Flood hazard is actually increasing along the river because of climate change," said Supervisory Research Hydrologist Robert Jacobson. "We are seeing more runoff in the basin, meaning whatever sort of management we see in the future, has to do with a situation where the floods are getting bigger and more variable."

Jacobson said it's too premature to predict what flooding could look like in 2020 but he foresees high levels of runoff.

"Next summer is going to be pretty wet and right now there's a lot of water up in the basin," he said. "Soil moisture is very high and so everyone expects there's going to be a lot of runoff next year."

ABC 17 News previously reported 94 Missouri levees have requested repairs since the flooding began this year.

"There could be some reconsideration about whether those levees are built to the right specifications and whether they're built in the right places," Jacobson said.

The group will meet Jan. 17, Feb. 10, March 9 and April 13 in Jefferson City.