Sandbagging Underway South of St. Louis

A substantial sandbagging operation is underway Thursday against the rising floodwater of the River Des Peres in south St. Louis near the Mississippi River.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Mississippi is expected to hit a near-historic crest in coming days.

The River Des Peres is rising to near street level on one side. On the other, waters above street level are restrained by a small berm.

The News-Press in St. Joseph reports that flooding has closed part of U.S. Highway 36 in Livingston County east of Chillicothe in north-central Missouri.

The Grand River at Chillicothe on Thursday was less than two feet above the all-time crest there.