News

Missouri River levels are low

A senior service hydrologist with the National Weather Service in St. Louis says the Missouri River has been getting low again. Mark Fuchs tells Brownfield it’s already affecting the low Mississippi River levels.

“We’re now beginning feel the impacts from the reduced flows out of Gavins Point Dam,” he says. “The Mississippi River is dealing with less water coming in from that river and that leads to potential problems as river levels drop well below the zero level at Eads Bridge in St. Louis.”

Fuchs says the navigation season on the Missouri River might be over, but low river levels can still affect utilities.   

“We are concerned that water supplies might be an issue for those who withdraw water from the Missouri River.”

He says the dry conditions aren’t expected to improve much before the end of the year. The impact of the low Missouri River levels were discussed during Missouri’s Drought Assessment Committee meeting on Monday.