Mississippi River floodwaters in St. Louis expected to crest Tuesday

Cover Image
Photo credit (Kevin Killeen, KMOX)

ST. LOUIS (KMOX/AP) - Slow-moving floodwaters have made their way to eastern Missouri, increasing the number of closed roads to more than 160 across the state. And that water looks like it will be with us for a while.  

St. Louis has closed its flood gates as it prepares for the river to crest there on Tuesday – with the Mississippi river cresting around 38-feet. Some roads and parks will be inundated, but the flooding there isn't classified as major.

If the forecast holds this would be about the 20th-highest river stage in St. Louis, since record-keeping began. The great flood of 1993 saw river levles more than 11-feet higher than the crest we'll see this week. 

Accuweather meteoroligist Danielle Knittle says the the flooding likely won't come to an end in the St. Louia area until the weekend. 

"It looks like it won't actually come out of that moderate flood stage until we look ahead to perhaps Friday or Saturday afternoon," Knittle says. "The river forcast predicts at least minor river flooding all the way into the early portion of next week. 

More rain is expected to come to the St. Louis area on Thursday.

Mississippi River at St Louis Monday morning. pic.twitter.com/nb52FD8o4W

— Kevin Killeen (@KMOXKilleen) April 1, 2019 The Missouri River also remains high, but water levels have dropped below major flood state in most locations. That is allowing Amtrak to resume normal operations Monday on its Missouri River Runner route, which transports passengers between Kansas City and St. Louis.The worst of the damage is in northwest Missouri, where floodwaters are receding. 

The Illinois side is experiencing some flooding as well. In Alton, more familiar road closures are taking effect as the water rises, as the eastbound lane of Illinois Highway 100 is now closed in downtown Alton. Meanwhile all of Highway-155 outside Prairie du Rocher has been clused due to high water. 

To the north in Grafton, Mayor Rick Eberlin spent part of Sunday helping empty a business. He says a few other businesses already have water in their basements, but many are still open.

© 2019 KMOX/Associated Press (Entercom). All rights reserved