CLAYTON — ºüÀêÊÓƵ County Executive Sam Page declared a state of emergency Thursday after record-breaking rainfall fueled flash flooding across the ºüÀêÊÓƵ region this week.
The declaration allows the county to request state and federal help, and comes ahead of more "major" flooding expected Friday as the Meramec River and its tributary, the Big River, swell with recent rainfall.
Flooding along the Meramec River has already started in Pacific in the county's southwest corner. Valley Park and Eureka, and parts of ºüÀêÊÓƵ County and Jefferson County are also expected to flood.
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Flooding on Tuesday killed two people in south ºüÀêÊÓƵ County and caused damage to homes, roads, bridges and parks, Page said.
The county executive urged people not to drive through water.
"It can take just a few inches of moving water to carry away a vehicle," Page said in a statement.
Photos: Record rains cause flash floods. Rising rivers are swamping parts of Missouri
Brookdale Farms draft horse Spartan romps in the flood waters from the Meramec and Big rivers, which shut down operations at the event facility on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. James Vavak, general manager, said 250 of the farm’s 300 acres were flooded. “It’s a beautiful view but it’s going to leave a mess behind,†said Vavak. “We’ll see what else Mother Nature throws my way.â€
"I think we got lucky," said Doug Plowman, who checks on his son's home on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in Pacific. The Meramec River crested below the original forecast.
Wayne Adams, facility manager at Family Golf and Learning Center in ºüÀêÊÓƵ County, talks to managers as he looks over the flooded driving range targets as the Meramec River crested early on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024.
Highland cattle Pebbles, left, and Bam Bam, residents of Brookdale Farms near Eureka, enjoy floodwater from the confluence of the Meramec and Big rivers as it begins to recede on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. James Vavak, general manager of the event facility, said that an upcoming weekend wedding had to be moved after 250 of the farm’s 300 acres were flooded. “It’s a beautiful view but it’s going to leave a mess behind,†said Vavak. “We’ll see what else Mother Nature throws my way.â€
“I think we got lucky,†said Doug Plowman, as he calls his son on the phone to tell him that only a few inches of water got into the basement of his son’s home on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in Pacific. The Meramec River crested below the original forecast.
"We are just seeing the light of the situation," said Robert Brownlee, left, who hunts for worms with his roommate Steve Johnson in the aftermath of flooding from the Meramec River on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in Pacific.
Robert Brownlee hunts for worms in the aftermath of the flooding Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in Pacific. The Meramec River crested below the original forecast.
Flooded vehicles are left behind on Twin River Road at Highway W near Eureka as the confluence of the Meramec and Big rivers shut down the area to traffic on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024.
“I’ve been up all night,†says Jeff Forbus, who was moving items from his yard and sheds into his house on Thursday before the Meramec River crests in Pacific.
An RV camper is lodged against a pillar of the old Route 66 Bridge as a rising Meramec River floods Route 66 State Park near Eureka on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024.
Zander Beckerdite, 7, fills sand bags with Pacific School Resource Officer Nicolas Winchester, left, on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, as a rising Meramec River is expected to flood parts of Pacific.
"The water is coming up," said Sara Brundick, left, sandbags the doorway of her house with help from friends including Sarah Dubuque on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, before the Meramec River crests in Pacific.
"I've been up all night," said Jeff Forbus, who moves items from his shed into his house on higher ground on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, before the Meramec River crests in Pacific.
"I am getting nervous. This is my first flood," said Sierra Haug, who waits for a friend arrive so she and her roommate can move their furniture before they leave their house on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, before the Meramec River crests in Pacific.
Lynn Whitson loads up items from his house onto a trailer lent by his friend Keith Neustaedter, left, on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, before the Meramec River crests in Pacific. Whitson and his roommate plan to evacuate before the flood hits.
The entrance to Route 66 State Park near Eureka is underwater from the flooding Meramec River on Thursday, Nov. 7.
Missouri Department of Transportation workers close Highway 141 under Interstate 44 near Valley Park as floodwater from the Meramec River begins to fill the lowlying underpass in ºüÀêÊÓƵ County on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024.
Doug Wurst was among those filling sandbags on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, to prepare for flooding in Pacific, Mo. As the Meramec River continued to rise, officials urged residents to evacuate parts of the city.
Part of the damage left at Montauk State Park on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. The park was hit by 12.59 inches of rain on Monday and Tuesday.
Doug Lampe mops the floors at his father Mitch Lampe’s Omni Refrigeration Services in Webster Groves on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024 after Deer Creek flooded the business late Monday. The building on Breckenridge Industrial Court last flooded in 2022, as memory of that flood hangs on the office wall.
Michael Lillard tosses ruined beer stored in the basement of the Trainwreck Saloon in Rock Hill on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024 after Deer Creek flooded the business late Monday. George Hansford’s business flooded twice in 2022 and he said this was the second worst flood, with 18 inches filling the bar and restaurant. He hopes to reopen this weekend.
Morning walkers have a look at damage left behind from a flooded Deer Creek on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, on the pathways of the newly developed Brentwood Park.
David Hill climbs over ruined cases of beer removed from the basement of the Trainwreck Saloon in Rock Hill on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024 after Deer Creek flooded the business late Monday. George Hansford’s business flooded twice in 2022 and he said this was the second worst flood since he bought it in 1982, with 18 inches filling the bar and restaurant. He hopes to reopen this weekend.
Mitch Lampe, owner of Omni Refrigeration Services in Webster Groves, cleans up after more than a foot of floodwater from Deer Creek filled his business late Monday, on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. The building on Breckenridge Industrial Court, that last flooded in 2022, flooded again but the water receded quickly and left less mud. “That was the 1000 year flood,†said Lampe, of the 2022 event.
Michael Lillard, left, and David Hill remove ruined beer kegs from the basement of the Trainwreck Saloon in Rock Hill on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024 after Deer Creek flooded the business late Monday. George Hansford’s business flooded twice in 2022 and he said this was the second worst flood since he bought it in 1982, with 18 inches filling the bar and restaurant. He hopes to reopen this weekend.
Service manager Tom Coffman cuts drywall from flooded interior walls of Omni Refrigeration Services in Webster Groves on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024 after Deer Creek flooded the business late Monday. The building on Breckenridge Industrial Court, that last flooded in 2022, flooded again but the water receded quickly and left less mud. “That was the 1000 year flood,†said owner Mitch Lampe of the 2022 event.
State workers at Montauk State Park clean up concrete rearing pools on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, one day after massive rains washed over the berm and released an untold number of rainbow trout into the Current River.
A maintenance truck drives through floodwaters on northbound I-55 as southbound cars drive on the shoulder near Union Road in ºüÀêÊÓƵ County on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.
Police block Hoffmeister Avenue near the I-55 northbound ramp off Union Road in ºüÀêÊÓƵ County after heavy rains flooded the area on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.
“It’s a heck of a way to celebrate my birthday,†says Kurt Tweedy, after waking up to discover his flooded vehicle outside Station House apartments just north of Skinker and Olive boulevards on Tuesday morning, Nov. 5, 2024 in the West End area of ºüÀêÊÓƵ. Tweedy is 34 today.
A flooded minivan sits in high water under the MetroLink overpass near Skinker and Olive boulevards on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 in ºüÀêÊÓƵ. At one point, the vehicle was completely underwater. A short time later, a sewer unclogged and the intersection drained.
An RV camper is lodged in a pillar of the old Route 66 Bridge as a rising Meramec River floods Route 66 State Park near Eureka on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024.
Motorists drive through Meramec River floodwater covering Soccer Park Road near Fenton on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024.
View life in ºüÀêÊÓƵ through the Post-Dispatch photographers' lenses. Edited by Jenna Jones.
