The recent heavy rains caused some flash flooding around the county Tuesday (June 16), resulting in a few water-rescue calls and road closures, officials report.
In addition, some activities scheduled for this weekend have been canceled.
Fortunately, most of the problems caused by the recent flash flooding have been minor, but Tropical Storm Bill is expected to bring more rain to the area later this week, so officials are bracing for more flooding.
Water rescues
On Tuesday evening, the Rock Community Fire Protection District got a call that the Fox C-6 High School parking lot in Arnold was flooded and some vehicles were trapped there, said Ron Harder, the district’s public information officer.
“The creek behind the high school flash flooded and came over the parking lot, and the entire lot was covered in 2 or 3 feet of water, trapping students in their vehicles,” Harder said.
He said the district’s water-rescue team responded, but no one was in danger, and people were able to drive or walk away on their own.
John Brazeal, the school district’s chief financial officer, said no water got into any of the schools and none of the school property was damaged. However, a contractor hired to do some roofing work had material stacked up along the creek, which was carried away by the flash flooding.
Harder said the water-rescue team also responded Tuesday to a call at Seckman and the West Outer roads in Imperial, where a car drove into water that had come over the road.
He said firefighters showed up to assist, but, like in the other call, the car was able to drive out on its own.
In addition, the Antonia Fire Protection District got two water-rescue calls between 10 and 11 p.m., when vehicles stalled in water over the road on Old Hwy. M, Assistant Chief Glenn Nivens said. One incident occurred near St. Luke’s Church Road in Imperial and the other near Moss Hollow Road in Barnhart.
No one was hurt, he said.
Nivens said 3-4 feet of water was over the road near St. Luke’s Church Road, but the driver whose vehicle stalled there was able to get it started back up and drive to safety.
About 2 to 2 1/2 feet of water was over the road near Moss Hollow and the vehicle that stalled there was left behind, Nivens said.
He said Antonia Fire also got a call at about midnight about a water main break at Old Lemay Ferry and Seckman roads that was shooting water 40 to 50 feet in the air. He said the roads were closed for about half an hour until the C-1 Public Water District got the water shut off.
The Seckman schools campus, which is also part of the Fox district, still was without water today(June 17) because of the water main break, Nivens said.
Even though the water-rescue calls on Tuesday were minor, Harder said it’s good the fire district was called to help because it’s very dangerous to try to cross water-covered roads.
“If you see water (on a road), turn around. Don’t go through it,” he said. “Even 2 feet of water can push a vehicle, if it’s fast moving.”
Typically, water from flash flooding is fast moving, Harder added.
Nivens agreed.
“You’re putting yourself in grave danger (if you try to drive through flood waters),” he said.
Closures
Robinson said most of the flash flooding has receded, but three roads were still closed today – Dry Fork Road off Hwy. T, Boyce Lane off Hwy. TT, both south of Festus, and Corisande Hill Road off Old Hwy. 141 in the Jefferson County portion of Fenton.
“Last night we had quite a few closed in the area with the flash flooding, but those are probably clear again,” Robinson said.
De Soto City Manager David Dews said water came over a road in Walther Park on Tuesday, so the park was temporarily closed.
Dews said the city is prepared if more flooding occurs.
“We understand Friday and Saturday are going to be the worst, so we had a planning meeting yesterday afternoon with police, fire, ambulance and Public Works to make sure we’re all on the same page,” he said.
Robinson said the First Baptist Church in De Soto is offering shelter to anyone who needs it.
In Arnold, there was some flash flooding on Melody Lane and on Tenbrook Road near the Walgreens store on Tuesday, but it has since receded, the city’s Public Works director Ed Blattner said today.
With the large amount of rain the past week, the Meramec River in Arnold is rising, so there is flooding at the back part of Arnold City Park on Bradley Beach Road off Jeffco Boulevard. As a result, the section of the park behind the gate is closed, said Susie Boone, the city’s Parks and Recreation director.
The main part of the park is still open today, but Boone said a lot more rain is expected Friday and Saturday, so it’s likely the park will be closed this weekend.
She said backwaters from the Mississippi have flooded three holes at the city-owned Pomme Creek Golf Course, so it’s likely the course will be closed this weekend, too.
The Mississippi River is rising, too, said Karry Friedmeyer, who heads up the Crystal City street department.
“We have turned the pumps on on the levee,” he said.
Cedar Hill Fire Chief Terry Soer said he wasn’t aware of any major problems in the west part of the county because of the recent flash flooding, but the Big River is rising.
“We’re monitoring gauges at Irondale, Richwoods and Byrnesville. At Byrnesville, it’s a little over flood stage. So, we’re anticipating that we’re going to have flooding here.”
Cancellations
Arnold city officials already have decided to cancel the Arnold Farmers Market this Saturday (June 20). Typically, the Farmers Market is held from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday through Oct. 17 at the front of Arnold City Park.
The Arnold Community Theatre Troupe is scheduled to perform “Hamlet” in Arnold City Park on Friday through Sunday (June 19-21), and the Friday show already has been canceled, Boone said.
Performances also are scheduled for Friday through Sunday (June 26-28). To check if any other shows are canceled, people may go to the troupe’s website at arnoldcommunitytheatretroupe.weebly.com.
The Arnold parks department also has canceled a Family Day open house and a soccer golf tournament that was supposed to be held at Pomme Creek Golf Course on Friday.