By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Flash flooding, not flooding from the Missouri River, is causing the problems in south St. Joseph and southern Buchanan County.
Buchanan County Presiding Commissioner Lee Sawyer says the Missouri River really hasn’t posed a threat this year. The river level in St. Joseph at this time is just over 13-feet with an official flood stage of 17-feet.
Sawyer says the county doesn’t get concerned about Missouri River flooding until it reaches 21 feet.
The Missouri Department of Transportation reports U.S. Route 59 between south St. Joseph to Route 116 at Rushville has reopened after floodwaters forced it closed. Most of Highway 59 has reopened to two-way traffic, but a section near Cotter Street and Bethel Road has been reduced to one lane.
Route 59 in southern Buchanan County to the Missouri River bridge to Atchison, Kansas is open.
MoDOT cautions motorists against driving through floodwaters or around barriers.
Click here for the MoDOT traveler map.