ST. LOUIS — The heavy rainfall Tuesday impacted our rivers and storm sewer system.
Both the Mississippi and Missouri rivers are on the high side in the St. Louis metro area.
The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District said at about 4 p.m. Tuesday it had only received about 40 calls and wasn't too concerned about any specific areas.
“The two big things we'll see there are blocked storm drains or inlets where debris has gotten in there and is keeping the water from getting in. We'll clear those out. About half of the time, it's just a low-lying area in the street that doesn't have a drain where water’s ponding,” Sean Stone with MSD Project Clear said.
Stone said compared to previous storms, the district has had a relatively low number of calls.
“There's quite a bit of water, but it's spread out over time. So, the system can take that in and handle that amount of water. It's when we get a whole lot all at once and we run out of capacity in the system that you see more issues,” Stone said.
While the sewer system has been able to take it, both the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers reached minor flood stage.
Lt. Eric Kiehlmeier with the U.S. Coast Guard said it has asked recreational boaters to stay off the Mississippi in the St. Louis metro area.
“If you choose to not adhere to the recreational boating restriction, there will be agencies available to rescue you but you're putting their lives in danger and there's simply not enough people to rescue everybody on the river if everyone's going out there,” Kiehlmeier said.
The U.S Army Corps of Engineers said the Missouri crested, or reached the highest point for this event, and is on the way down. The Mississippi is on the way to cresting.
Kiehlmeier said the Mississippi River is moving faster than normal and taking a lot of debris downstream.
“The amount of debris in the water is very hazardous, especially if you're in a small john boat or recreational fishing boat. And it's not just the debris that you see on the water, it's the submerged objects underneath the water that pose a significant danger as well,” Kiehlmeier said.
If you see a clogged storm drain, you can call MSD at 314-768-6260.
Boaters can check the Coast Guard's Facebook page before heading out on the water.