Jun 24, 2024

Flooding in southwest Iowa working its way downstream on the Missouri River

Posted Jun 24, 2024 7:32 PM
Gavins Point Dam/file photo
Gavins Point Dam/file photo

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

Flooding in northwest Iowa is working its way downstream on the Missouri River.

Officials with the Army Corps of Engineers are keeping an eye on the Missouri River level, especially in Holt County.

“We have a flood fight team coming out of Glasgow, Missouri that’ll be traveling to the area to meet with levee districts and address any issues or concerns they may have up there,” Emergency Management Specialist Mike Dulin with the Army Corps of Engineers Kansas City office tells those on a conference call held in wake of the heavy rainfall in northwest Iowa that spawned widespread flooding.

Dulin says the forecast calls for at least minor flooding along the Missouri River as a result of the heavy rainfall in Iowa.

“Current forecasts from the National Weather Service, Missouri Basin River Forecast Center, are projecting moderate flood stage between Rulo, Nebraska and St. Joe, Missouri as the flood crest moves through between 29 and 30 June,” Minor says. “Minor flooding is forecast to occur downstream of St. Joe, all the way down to Herman.”

Minor flooding along the Missouri River is expected in Rulo beginning Tuesday morning, working its way downstream.

Dulin says a flood fight team has been sent to Holt County as higher Missouri River levels test newly repaired levees.

“Levee rehab efforts following the 2019 and 2021 flood events have been completed and all levee systems in our district’s PL (public law) 84-99 program have been fully restored to their pre-flood levels of protection,” according to Dulin.

The Army Corps of Engineers has drastically reduced water flows from upstream Missouri River dams in wake of the southwest Iowa flooding.

Iowa officials say their preliminary estimate is that at least 1,900 properties in 22 counties have been swamped by floodwaters with hundreds of homes destroyed.

Radio Iowa contributed to this article.

You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.