St. Clair County prepped for flooding as rain and snow melt fills the Mississippi

The heavy rain that fell over much of the Midwest Saturday, combined with melting snow from the great plains, has caused water levels along the Mississippi River to rise.

This poses a flooding threat in parts of St. Clair County.

“Eventually all of that water flows into the Mississippi and Missouri River and can clog up waterways, causing water levels to rise,” said Accuweather Service Meteorologist Brett Rossio.

Rossio said he could see on satellite the rapidly melting and high snow packs around Iowa and southern Minnesota.

Snow packs form from layers of snow that accumulate in geographic regions and high altitudes where the climate includes cold weather for extended periods during the year. They are an important water source for many communities, but also pose flooding risks when melting occurs too fast.

“I can see it melting as the sun comes up,” Rossio said. “We are now in the spring months and the temperatures are gradually rising and the sun angles higher. It’s been relatively bad this year because of how much rain and snow we’ve seen.”

Rossio said the active pattern will “persist across the plains into next week.”

St. Clair County officials are not taking flooding possibilities lightly and have been making preparations since last week.

Herb Simmons, St. Clair County Emergency Management Director, said 7,000 sandbags have been filled and stashed throughout St. Clair County, including Dupo, East Carondelet and Kaskasia. He said workers are pumping water on Penn Street in State Park, which is north of Caseyville off Illinois 157.

Simmons said forecasters are predicting the river will crest at 38 feet.

“A lot of water fills up in creeks and places like the Harding ditch,” he said.

A post on the Meeting of the Great Rivers All Around Alton website said, “River levels are rising in both Grafton and Alton with water levels expected to crest next week.”

The Mississippi River was at 37.97 feet near St. Louis at 2:30 p.m., the National Weather Service reported, meaning the region has reached “moderate flooding stages.” “Major flooding” occurs at 40 feet. The historic flooding in 1993 occurred at 49.58 feet.

This story was originally published April 2, 2019 at 12:44 PM.