Those who live in the St. Louis area and areas along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers will recall the flooding in 1993. It went on for months (May-Oct), but not caused by local rainfall. Rather, it was mostly from melting ice and snow built up over the winter in the states north of Missouri – North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, northern Iowa and Illinois.
Farms on both side of the Mississippi were destroyed. Farm houses, barns, out buildings completely swept away as levee after levee failed and were breached.
Guess what? Those conditions exist this spring. As I haven’t been at home for the past couple of months, I don’t know what the weather folks are forecasting. But I will make my own- I think there will be major flooding comparable to 1993 this spring and it will be around for awhile. Those levees re-enforced after 1993 and those constructed will get a real test I believe.
Remember in 1993 that the Chesterfield Valley, fomerly known as Gumbo, was completely flooded. At that time the number of businesses and such were few compared to what has been built since. Most of the Valley is now covered with shopping outlet malls, restaurants, warehouses, and etc. If the much touted Monarch levee protecting the valley from the Missouri River would fail, as it did in 1993, can you imagine the loss? Insurance companies will be paying out hundreds of millions. And take a guess who will pay in terms of higher insurance premiums?
Now of course I could be way off base and I hope so. But I think I might make sure my boat is sea worthy in the meantime.
