Missouri River Floods

Missouri River Floods. . [Center row, left to right] , . Swift and turbulent, the Missouri River washed away the frontier town of Franklin, located opposite Boonville on the river's north side, in 1828. One of the worst and most destructive floods occurred in 1844, when the Missouri River became an “inland sea”. The Flood of 1844 stands as the second-largest flood on record, as the river rose to 33.6 feet or 12.6 feet above Boonville's flood stage of 21 feet. A stone marker located on the west side of the cobblestone street records the high-water mark of 1844. , . Another high-water marker placed east of the street shows the reaches of other severe flooding episodes at Boonville. Floods of 1903, 1944, and 1983 all reached crests of 30.9 feet, nearly ten feet above flood stage. Charles A. Sombart, the owner of a flour mill east of the cobblestone street, erected the stone marker following the Flood of 1903. , . The Missouri River has played an important role in the history of the state and the nation. The river first served as an avenue for exploration and discovery, and became a major route during America's westward expansion. Today the river remains an important corridor for trade and commerce. Also called the Big Muddy for its murky brown waters, the Missouri River has often overflowed its banks, threatening the farms and communities located along its shores. , [Bottom row] , The Missouri River reached all-time record crests during the Great Flood of 1993, the most massive in history. During that summer, the swollen river stood above flood stage for 49 days, as the waters spread between the river bluffs to nearly four miles in width. The river reached [unreadable] July 14-15, then swelled even more to 37.1 feet, 16.1 feet above flood stage, on July 20-21, 1993. The high water reached a section of the bridge floor on the north side of the Old Trails Bridge, which remained closed until October 5. The spot where you are now standing [unreadable] marks the point where the water reached its highest.