Deja vu all over again?

[elSicomoro]

As some of you might have seen in the news this week, the Midwestern US has been hit with heavy rains this spring, causing flooding in St. Louis and throughout the lower midwest.

For me, it is an all too eerie reminder of what occurred 9 years ago. During the spring and summer of 1993, heavy rains caused massive flooding in the midwest. The Mississippi River crested at 52 feet in St. Louis, 22 feet above flood stage. The southern end of St. Louis was shut down for 2 months, as the water backed up into the River des Peres canal, closing off 3 bridges and destroying chunks of the historic Carondelet area. National Guard troops were dispatched, limiting access to the areas to residents only. One house was ripped off its foundation in Southern Illinois, carried away by the river. Two towns, Godfrey and Valmeyer (in Illinois), relocated to higher land. Other towns, like Crystal City and Ste. Genevieve (in Missouri) were virtually underwater, despite frantic sandbagging efforts.

At the time, we did not live in that part of the city, although my parents do now. Right near this location. I pray to God that this doesn't become another 1993. It would take a hell of a lot of water to reach my parents' home, but if too much more rain comes, they'll be breaking out the sump pump to clear out the basement.

Here are some satellite photos of the St. Louis area taken during the 1993 floods. The photos show the Missouri (far left) and Mississippi rivers converging just north of St. Louis, swamping the eastern section of St. Charles County.

[Griff]

Oddly, we were doing elevations yesterday so folks could challenge their flood insurance rates.