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Missouri River Closed to Vessel Traffic From St. Louis to Sioux City, 5:04

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The Missouri River is closed to all commercial and recreational vessels, from St. Louis to just north of Sioux City, mile marker 750.  The US Coast Guard says the closure is due to existing hazards such as drift and high water.  Boats may cause damage to or overtopping of levees. The closure will remain in effect until water levels decrease to a safe condition. 

Untreated wastewater has stopped flowing into the Little Sioux River at Cherokee County.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the city of Quimby (QUIM-bee) contracted with a manure hauler yesterday (Thursday). Tom Roos (like noose) with the DNR says other options were considered to divert the wastewater, but this seems to be the safest.

((0607roos   0:20)) The options were either pump it and haul it, string a line, which would’ve been about two miles through a residential area across the bridge to the lagoons and pump it directly, or the other option that was looked at was stringing a pipe across the top of the river and going to the lagoons.

The DNR estimated between 15,000 to 20,000 gallons of untreated wastewater was going into the river each day after Quimby (QUIM-bee) officials reported a break in their sewer line Monday. The city’s wastewater operator declined to comment.

A Burlington official says it’s too soon to know if recent flooding may impact RAGBRAI. Thousands of riders are slated to go through the city next month during the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. 

A portion of the city’s riverfront downtown flooded when a temporary floodwall broke last Saturday.

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