This week’s heavy rainfall has increased the potential for isolated floods in portions of the state, although no major flooding is expected.
Right now, a flood warning is in effect for the Meramec River in St. Louis County, which could lead to some local street flooding.
John Campbell, operations chief for the State Emergency Management Agency explains why, and where, the flooding could occur.
“I think it’s areas where we’ve been at south of St. Louis on the Mississippi River, and I would anticipate that that is the reason that the Meramec is showing an elevated reading, because of the inflow south of St. Louis,” Campbell said.
Campbell says the highest flood risk right now is along the Missouri River in the northwest corner of the state, because of releases from dams in South Dakota. Also, the Big Piney River at Fort Leonard Wood is nearly a foot above flood stage due to heavy rains, but it’s forecast to fall below flood stage by Friday night.