Flood of 1982

2/16/2016 (Permalink)

This flooding was part of a larger area of heavy rain, severe weather, and flooding that affected much of the Middle and Lower Mississippi Valley in December 1982 and January 1983. As is often observed during an historic flood event, this flood event was preceded by substantial rainfall in the days leading up to this event: 2 to 4 inches of rain fell over most of the Meramec, Black, Gasconade, and Cuivre River basins in the 10 days prior. Over the first 4 days of December, rainfall producing record flooding ranged from near 9 inches of rain at Troy (8.7”) up to over 13 inches over portions of southern Missouri. Six people died in the flash flooding associated with this event, two of them during a rescue attempt. Property losses included over 3,000 severely damaged residences and more than 700 completely destroyed. Almost 18,000 people were left homeless.
The flooding associated with this event was record-setting for at least 9 forecast points in Missouri, including the Moreau River at Jefferson City, the Gasconade River at Hazelgreen, Jerome, and near Rich Fountain, the Big Piney River near Big Piney, the Bourbeuse River at Union, the Meramec River at Pacific, near Eureka, and at Valley Park, and the Black River at Poplar Bluff.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this flood involved the destruction of Times Beach, MO, just across the Meramec River from the river gage near Eureka. In the 1970s, the town paid a local contractor to spray an oil substance onto the streets of the town to help control the dust problems that had developed from the town’s unpaved streets. Just before the flood, it was discovered this oily substance contained levels of dioxin 100 times higher than what was considered hazardous to humans. The flood inundated homes with up to 10 feet or more of water. Though residents returned to their homes once floodwaters receded, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency started the process of permanently buying out residents and businesses from the community in 1983. By the end of 1986, all residents had been relocated. Comprehensive cleanup of the site then began and was completed by 1997. This included on-site excavation and incineration of soil with high levels of dioxin. The site was opened to the public as the Route 66 State Park in 1999. Subsequent testing in 2012 revealed dioxin remaining on this land, but at levels considered to be safe for park visitors and park employees.

Source: http://www.floodsafety.noaa.gov/states/mo-flood.shtml