Federal officials were monitoring 19 vulnerable levees on the rising Mississippi River and its tributaries, warning that hundreds of homes in Illinois and Missouri could be threatened by a rare winter flood.
Source: Army Corps monitors 19 levees in Missouri, Illinois, for winter flood threat
A River Runs Through it!
Photo of a McDonald’s flooded by heavy rain: Â I grew up in Union, was an alderman back when this McDonald’s was built and first opened. Â It was a bit of a struggle just to get approval for this business to go in, due to the location, near the river and being in a flood plain. Â What you don’t see because of all the water, there is a canal that surrounds this McD’s and it’s parking lot. Â The canal was to ‘help’ prevent something like this from happening. Â The Bourbeuse River is back just behind the tree line. Â There is also a creek, Flat Creek that is nearby that meets the Bourbeuse, the creek runs behind the house I grew up in.
Nearby there is a Dicky Bub’s and Quick Trip next to some soccer fields. Â Before the Dicky Bub’s it was a Wal-Mart, which relocated. Â The lots next to the soccer fields were never supposed to flood, according to the Army Corp of Engineers. Â This isn’t the first time. Â In 1993 and years prior to that it flooded. Â They don’t take into consideration it is called a 100 years flood plain for a reason. Â Trouble is the 100 year distinction isn’t accurate either. Â It seems it is more like a 10 year flood plain. Â Oh the price of development.
I haven’t lived in Union for more than 17 years now, but I understand what they are dealing with, like many communities from the recent rain, storms and tornadoes. Â Union will survive this, they always do, unfortunately they always play a waiting game with the weather. Â Union lies in a valley, with the Bourbeuse running through it, and it’s creeks that feed into it.
My heart and prayers go out to Union, and other communities fighting Mother Nature.