A pickup truck is trapped in flood waters from the rising Missouri River, along Highway 30, south of Modale, Iowa, Monday. The river is near historic flood levels along the more than 800 miles it stretches from the Gavins Point Dam in South Dakota to its confluence with the Mississippi River. More than 560,000 acres in seven states have flooded, including nearly 447,000 acres of farmland. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., left, Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., center, and Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., listen on Capitol Hill, Wednesday in Washington, during a meeting to discuss flooding along to Missouri River. See? I wasn't making that up! (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Tulsa finally saw a
bit of rain Tuesday and Wednesday. How exciting!
Though it was not nearly enough to make a difference in our
worsening drought, some people in the Midwest would welcome a little less water.
The Missouri River is still bursting its banks, with flood levels that have not been seen in more than a century.
Nearly all of the
Missouri River and much of the basin—stretching from St. Lewis to North Dakota—is under a flood warning and has been for some time. Too many records have been broken to adequately mention here.
Nuclear plants in Nebraska have had to shut down, river traffic has stopped and in many places, the river is still rising.
Heavy rains and lots of snow in the upper basin has all channeled downstream. The snow and rain over the past year were record-breaking events, so result would naturally seem to be record flooding. In fact, twice as much water is flowing through the lower Missouri than any time in the past, according to the St. Lewis Post-Dispatch.
The flooding event is so monumental and wide spread, it is actually leading to
cooperation and compromise among the area’s senators in Washington, who have formed the Missouri River Working Group, which aims to work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop a better response to the flooding and long-term plan to deal with the river.
Republicans and democrats working together?! For the benefit of their constituents?! Now I have seen everything.
So while you watch your tomato plants shrivel from thirst and
record-breaking heat, remember: it could be worse. Or, at least, a different kind of bad.
--Jerry Wofford
