Flooding in Missouri, May 7 to 9, 2002

The flash flooding event on the 7th and early 8th, became a major flooding event across all of southern and central Missouri through the early afternoon of May 9th. In addition to the numerous road closures, bridges blocked by debris, evacuations of towns, campgrounds, parks, and moderate river flooding, many communities had their worst flooding in more than 10 years. The American Red Cross set up shelters in Branson and Cassville due to evacuations. Flooded roadways forced several school districts across southwest Missouri to close for a few days. Several areas of west central Missouri also had crop damage.Specifically, the worst damage occurred in the following counties; In Barry County, areas along Flat and Shoal Creeks received most of the flooding and associated damages. Barricades had to be placed along Shoal Creek near Wheaton where three bridges were damaged and inundated by flood waters. Over 100 houses were affected by the flood in the northeastern part of Cassville. Residents living on Harold and Fair streets near Flat Creek Trailer Park were evacuated for more than five hours during the height of the storm. In Christian County, the sudden flooding of the Finley River caused a local car dealership to move over 50 cars from the flood waters. The river also shut down a local restaurant on the north side of town. The owners of the restaurant stated that the river was more damaging than the 93' flood which was actually higher. However, this time the river was swifter, more furious, and took longer for the water to go back down. The waters damaged several items in the kitchen, including a salad refrigerator, and a grand piano. A local poultry farm had to transport 100 birds to drier land. The flood waters destroyed three pens and covered about two acres of their farmland. In Cedar County, the Stockton City Park was severely damaged due to the flooding which caused more than 200,000 dollars in losses. In Douglas County, a local dairy farmer loss nearly six months of hay, labor and stored supplies due to the flood waters. In Greene County, the residents of a local subdivision had another flooding event in less than one year. Homeowners report having suffered high water several times over the past decade, with most of the flooding associated with their basements. However, the flood waters have also damaged fencing and in-ground pools. In Howell County, the most significant damage occurred after the Warm Fork River washed out a portion of train track four miles southeast of West Plains, resulting in a train derailment. Four locomotives, each weighing 260,000 pounds, and 10 railroad cars were knocked off the tracks allowing diesel fuel to flow freely onto the ground. In West Plains, much of a local shopping center parking lot off Preacher Roe Boulevard was under water for nearly 6 hours, along with a local trailer park. Eighteen inches of water flooded the trailer park which increased to over four feet as it neared Howell Creek in the eastern part of town. The high water forced evacuations in the city of West Plains and Willow Springs in northern Howell county. In Jasper County, a 47 year old man died after begin swept off a low water crossing over Turkey Creek in Joplin. In McDonald County, a major landslide severely damaged Highway 69 just north of Noel. In Newton County, a 62 year old man died after begin swept off a low water crossing over Shoal Creek near Joplin. In Ozark County, along the Bryant Creek, bridges were damaged and the heavy rains cut trenches across the county roads. Not only did public roads and bridges sustained damage, private property owners watched as stream banks eroded, taking trailers, canoes, and other valuable items downstream. In places along the bank of the Bryant Creek, the erosion was measured in feet rather than inches. In Polk County, during the height of the event, hundreds of people in the rural areas were isolated in their homes by the flooding. A local man tried to clear debris that had piled up against a local bridge near Morrisville, fell into the water and was washed downstream before rescue workers could find and rescue him. In Pulaski County, after several inches of rain, residents of Waynesville along the Roubidoux River were evacuated because of high water. The high water also covered Spring Street and the RV park which caused campers to evacuate to higher ground. In Shannon County, the Jacks Fork crested at 18 feet near Eminence, Missouri which inundated local campgrounds, the City Park and forced 1200 trail riders and their horses to evacuate the grounds of the Cross County Trail Ride for at least 24 hours. The rise covered the Eminence baseball field and adjacent campgrounds on the south side spilling across Highway 106 at one low point. On the north side, the water rose into the lower units of a local motel and reportedly reached a level of three to four feet inside the indoor rodeo arena at Cross County Trail Ride. In Taney County near Branson, the Stockstill Park was severely damaged by the Roark Creek which grew to more than 400 feet wide sending four feet of water crashing across the park's ball fields and playgrounds. Tons of topsoil were stripped off the ball fields leaving bases sticking up several inches above a bare clay surface. Picnic benches and trash cans disappeared downstream. Asphalt on walking trails buckled or was carried away. More than 30 homes were evacuated in Bull Creek Village when the creek threatened the entire neighborhood. A large trailer was swept 300-feet downstream by flash flooding on the Roark Creek. Also due to the flooding of the Bull Shoals Lake, the annual county fair was cancelled for late July. In Stone County, the city of Reeds Spring evacuated a local mobile home park, the post office, and 12 businesses along Highway 13 when Railey Creek jumped its banks. In the downtown area, water up to three feet deep closed part of the main road through town for several hours. In Texas County, flash flooding caused a variety of problems near Cabool as a local Dairy Plant had their truck scales washed away. Vehicles of several employees and milk haulers were damaged as flood waters managed to get inside. The flood water also reached the plant's front and side entrances, boiler room, and receiving docks. South of Simmons, a family was stranded in a house along the Big Piney River. In Webster County, dozens of bridges and low water crossings were damaged or destroyed by the flood waters. Local officials stated that they lost anywhere between an inch to two inches of rock on each road in the county. In addition to all of the flash flooding reports, river flooding became significant as all of the southern Missouri rivers rose above flood stage by the middle of May. Some of the rivers crested at levels equivalent to the 1993 flood event.