Just when you think it’s safe to go back near the water, the snowmelt and excess rainwater comes again– this time from the north along the Missouri River.

The Kansas City District of the Army Corps sent this news release:

Flooding imminent in the lower basin of Missouri River
KANSAS CITY, Mo.— The Kansas City District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ reach of the Missouri River, which extends from Rulo, Neb., to the Mississippi River, will experience flood stages similar to 2010 levels, possibly greater, and cautions communities and levee districts along the river to prepare for floodfight and for possible evacuation.

file photo from connectmidmissouri.com

The upper Missouri River and main stem lakes are seeing a flood of record proportions, and in June they plan to start releasing 150,000 cfs (cubic feet per second) flow from Gavin’s Point Dam into the lower Missouri River system. The previous record release level was 70,000 cfs. One cfs = approximately 646,320 gallons or 448.8 gallons per minute per day.

The flooding is being caused by 140 percent of normal snowmelt runoff into the lakes, along with record spring precipitation on top of that, essentially filling up the flood storage in the Missouri River lakes and necessitating record releases. The high releases are expected to last all summer and into the fall and winter.

This page shows the levee forecasts from Rulo, Nebraska to New Haven, Missouri. At New Haven, responsibility for the river switches to the St. Louis District. The St. Louis District flood fight website is still in stand down mode from early May, however as the water runs southeast, expect that situation to change.

What is 150,000 cfs when released from Gavins Point Dam, the last control structure on the Missouri, becomes nearly 470,000 cfs by the time it reaches St. Louis, based on average stream input and rainfall.

The Kansas City District urges the public to stay in contact with their state and local emergency management agencies for periodic updates as the situation changes.

Interested public can follow us on our website and through social media (see below) for timely updates.

For additional information, please contact the Kansas City District
Emergency Operations Center at (816) 426-6320.

Website: www.nwk.usace.army.mil. Click on “Current Flood and Forecast Information.”

Facebook: www.facebook.com/usace.kcd.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/KC_USACE.