Area river towns are once again putting an eye to the state’s waterways. Following locally heavy rains and snow over the weekend, towns along the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers are going to be fighting on two fronts – flooding and the coronavirus.
Mayors from 10 communities in the Mississippi River corridor said this past Thursday that the capacity exists to respond to the anticipated spring storm impacts. According to the National Weather Service’s Advanced Hydrological Prediction Service, all of the measuring areas along the rivers are at minor flood stage this morning.
While many of the towns along the flood risk corridor expect flooding this spring, it is not predicted to be anywhere close to last year’s record flood stage marks. The Mississippi and Illinois Rivers are expected to sit above flood stage until at least April 2nd. Last year the river at Hardin set its second highest mark on record at 40.24 feet. The Illinois River at Meredosia sat its 4th highest mark ever last year at 28.4 feet.