MoDOT photo of U.S. Route 59 in March
By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Highway 59, the route to Atchison, Kansas in southern Buchanan County, has been closed after floodwaters from the Missouri River overflowed the highway once again.
The Missouri River level has been rising ever since the US Army Corps of Engineers increased releases from Gavins Point Dam from 70,000 cubic feet per second to 80,000. The Corps increased releases after extreme rain in the upper Missouri River basin filled the six reservoirs upstream on the Missouri.
Highway 59, from state Highway 45 at Rushville to Atchison, Kansas, is closed, according to an alert sent out by the St. Joseph Police Department this morning and confirmed by the Missouri Department of Transportation.
The MoDOT reports flooding has closed Route 10 in Carroll County, as well. MoDOT is keeping a close eye on Route 65 near Carrollton as crest of the Missouri River moves south.
The Missouri River is at 22.74 feet at Rulo, Nebraska, expected to crest at 22.8 early tomorrow morning, according to the National Weather Service. The Missouri at St. Joseph is at 21.8 feet this morning with a crest of 22.4 expected tomorrow. At Atchison, the Missouri River rose to 23.39 feet this morning with a crest of 24.3 expected sometime Wednesday evening or Thursday morning.
Click here for the special northwest Missouri flood update maintained by MoDOT.