https://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?gage=sclm7&wfo=lsxI have been watching these water level graphs more than normal this summer, mainly for the Missouri when I want to paddle it.
Amateur observations,
that seem to be backed up by this article:
It's pretty damn crazy that the Missouri has been bumping over flood levels into September.
The levels are responding almost immediately -going up for semi-localized rain. Normally the big rivers are more affected by sustained upstream occurrences with a lag effect downstream. A typical rain, even couple of inches between Omaha and KC and Hermann is essentially a drop in the river bucket by this time of year.
I believe this means a couple things - lands outside of the proper river banks - in reservoirs, flood plains and drainages are saturated - I saw this out Highway 94 -there is still standing water in the fields that still floodplains. So rain water isn't soaking up in these areas, and just pours into the river . 2 inches of rain mean much more than a 2 inch rise in river level -at least more than normal
Heading into Fall, still near flood levels does not bode well for next year.
Disclaimer - I don't know wtf I'm talking about. read the article.