Jefferson County - East-West Gateway Coordinating Council

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Jefferson County – Section 2
of acres of productive farmland remained under water for weeks during the growing
season. Rills and gullies in many tilled fields and large holes (exceeding 100 feet in depth)
were the result of the severe erosion that occurred throughout the Midwestern United
States farmbelt. The hydrologic effects of extended rainfall throughout the upper
Midwestern United States were severe and widespread. The banks and channels of many
rivers were severely eroded, and sediment was deposited over large areas of the basin's
flood plain. Record flows submerged many areas that had not been affected by previous
floods. Industrial and agricultural areas were inundated, which caused concern about the
transport and fate of industrial chemicals, sewage effluent and agricultural chemicals in the
floodwaters . The extent and duration of the flooding caused numerous levees to fail. One
failed levee on the Raccoon River in Des Moines, Iowa, led to flooding of the city's water
treatment plant. As a result, the city was without drinking water for 19 days.
Hazard Event History
The largest disaster to impact Jefferson County in recent years was the flood on 1993. Its
size and impact was unprecedented and has been considered the most costly and
devastating flood to ravage the U.S. in modern history. The number of record river levels,
its aerial extent, the number of persons displaced, amount of property damage and the
flood’s duration surpassed all earlier U.S. floods in modern times.
The following gives an account of locations and areas that were affected by the inundation
of water during the 1993 flood. Based on a workshop meeting held on October 17, 2003
with Jefferson County officials and other community emergency management agencies, the
following locations were specifically identified as locations that become flooded during
various rainfall events. In DeSoto, Joachim Creek and North Main along Cedar Street
became inundated from floodwaters in 1993 and flash flooding near the high school near
Spross Memorial Park on Amvets Drive. In Festus, the community flooded in 1993 and has
experienced problems with storm drainage and creeks. Also in 1993, Rock Creek in
Kimmswick flooded Highway K, which was 33 feet under water and the Highway K Bridge
was 35 feet under water. Other areas of Jefferson County experienced significant flooding
at the confluence of the Big River and Meramec River, including Highway BB, West Old
Highway 21, Highway 61/67 and Highway 55. Several areas in community of Arnold
experienced significant flooding impacts from the 1993 flood, including Twin River Road,
Big Bend Road, Meadow Drive, Riffle Island, State Road BB, and River Bend Acres. West of
Pevely on Highway Z between Sandy Creek and Cherry Lane, 1993 floodwaters inundated
the bridge; mitigation for this stretch entailed the raising of the road and replacement of
the bridge. Refer to Figure J16 below.