Breaches don't change Missouri River flood outlook

By Josh Funk

Associated Press

Published: Wednesday, June 15 2011 3:06 p.m. MDT

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Workers fill sandbags that will be used on levees holding back rising flood waters from the nearby Missouri River, Wednesday, June 15, 2011, in Hamburg, Iowa. Overnight storms flooded some southeast Iowa roads, stranding cars in floodwaters. But the National Weather Service says the water is beginning to recede on some city streets in Ottumwa.

Charlie Neibergall, Associated Press

Summary

Construction crews are putting the final touches on a makeshift levee guarding a small Iowa town from the creeping advance of Missouri River floodwaters.

HAMBURG, Iowa — Construction crews are putting the final touches on a makeshift levee guarding a small Iowa town from the creeping advance of Missouri River floodwaters.

Robert Michaels, who has overseen the construction of the temporary levee guarding Hamburg for the Army Corps of Engineers, says floodwater advanced to within 500 yards of the floodwall on Wednesday and is expected to reach it by Thursday.

Experts say a drop in river levels caused by Monday breaches along the primary levee south of town would be temporary. The river had already begun rising again Wednesday near Brownville, Neb., just downstream from the breaches.

Hamburg Fire Chief Dan Sturm says crews hope to cover the levee with plastic before the water reaches it.

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