Officials keep an eye on rising river levels
Kim Morris/St. Joseph News-Press
After driving around road closed barricades, Don Lent, Muskegon, Mich., left, and Jaime Spinola, Saltillo, Mexico, contemplate driving through standing water on U.S. Highway 59, north of Fairfax, on Thursday.
Rising rivers have put St. Joseph and Buchanan County officials on the lookout for a flood that could surpass the one that came to St. Joseph last May.
The National Weather Service released flood warnings for the Missouri River on Wednesday night after heavy rains soaked Nebraska in midweek. As more rain entered the area Thursday night, the weather service predicted that the Missouri River could crest at 26.9 feet — nearly 2 feet above last year’s flood — by about 1 p.m. Sunday.
Bill Brinton, emergency management coordinator for Buchanan County, said officials were taking a watch and see approach.
“The main thing for the county right now is Agency, and it’s not going to get high enough in Agency to be much of a problem,” Mr. Brinton said.
The county will monitor water levels and close roads along the Platte and 102 rivers accordingly, Mr. Brinton said.
As of Thursday evening, the Platte River was supposed to crest at 26.9 feet Saturday afternoon. Most of Agency remains safe until the river reaches 35 feet.
The city of St. Joseph expected 60,000 sand bags to arrive this morning. The sand bags were ordered as a precaution, in case Missouri River forecasts rise over the upcoming days, according to a press release from city spokesperson Mary Robertson.
As of 7 p.m. Thursday night the Missouri River at St. Joseph was at 19.61 feet. The flood stage is 17 feet. The Weather Service predicted 26.9 feet by Sunday.
Mr. Brinton said that Lake Contrary could be threatened if flood waters neared 27 feet. According to the weather service, Riverfront Park begins to flood at 21 feet, a residential area in northwestern St. Joseph at 24 feet and at 30 feet the city’s public works building floods.
“The city is not anticipating any problems, but wants to err on the side of caution,” Ms. Robertson wrote.
City and county staff will monitor area rivers throughout the weekend.
Clinton Thomas can be reached at clintonthomas@npgco.com.
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