MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers met with Missouri Valley, Iowa flood victims Wednesday. So many people attended the Missouri Valley Public Library had to open a second room.
WOWT 6 News reports that Col John Hudson stated the Gavin's Point Dam could be forced to increase releases over the next month due to heavy rain north. The Corps reports the runoff forecast is predicted to match that of the 2011 flood. They add that over 40 levee breaches will not be complete until next summer.
Many attending the meeting wanted to know what plans the Corps had for flood prevention. The Corps explored a Missouri River Commission, similar to what is in place along the Mississippi River. The Corps also wants to study what changes could be made but that is a long process and could take five years.
Iowa U.S. Congressman Steve King organized the meeting with the hopes of coming up with plans to address the number of flooding events that have occurred in the area. He is pushing for an faster study on the best way to work the current system to prevent flooding. He also supports the idea of a Missouri River Commission.
The Corps believes that even if all the reservoirs were empty last March the flooding still would have occurred.
Photo courtesy of WOWT 6 News, Omaha.