SPM News

091719 noon The amount of water flowing down the lower Missouri River this year is approaching the record set during the historic 2011 flood, and another round of flooding is expected this week after unusually heavy rains upstream. Heavy rains dumped more than four times what is normal in parts of Montana, North and South Dakota, and Nebraska last week — triggering flood warnings. The forecast for how much water will flow down the Missouri River has, in turn, jumped to 58 million acre-feet. That

091619 504 Officials in one southwest Iowa county are advising people to consider evacuating. The Missouri River’s levels are rising, triggered by recent heavy rainfall in northerly states and dam releases upstream. Sheri Bowen (BOE-win) with Mills County says water is beginning to come back in through a levee breach in the southwest part of the county and is migrating north. That standing water is only going to deepen. It’s not moving with any significant force right now. But it is moving and

091619 404a A second Siouxland area ethanol plant is shutting down. The first was Plymouth Energy in Merrill, and now Sioux Center-based Siouxland Energy, a farmer-owned cooperative, has also stopped operations. The closures at both Iowa ethanol plants are temporary. A written statement blames the Trump Administration’s waivers so ethanol doesn’t have to be blended in gasoline produced at what the board said were “many large oil refineries.” Governor Kim Reynolds says President Trump will

More flooding is likely along the Missouri River after heavy rains and flooding upstream in South Dakota. The National Weather Service says some moderate flooding is likely this week along the river between Sioux City, Iowa, and Rulo, Nebraska. Some parts of South Dakota received as much as 7 inches of rain over two days. The Missouri River is expected to crest later this week after rising significantly. Officials in Dakota Dunes are telling residents to relocate as soon as possible. They are

091319 532 Heavy rain has caused Flooding in southeastern South Dakota and closed schools for a second day today. There were also some who had to evacuate their homes. Mitchell, Dell Rapids, and Madison received more than 7 inches of rain over two days The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it will briefly reduce water releases from Gavins Point Dam this weekend, then increase them later next week. The goal is to evacuate record-setting rainfall that has fallen this month across much of the upper

091319 504 Congressman Steve King has announced that he will host a town hall meeting in Sac County next Saturday, September 21st.. The town hall is open to the public and to the media. The Sac County town hall will be held in Wall Lake, Iowa at the Wall Lake Shelter House located at Fourth and Stuart Streets. The town hall will run from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. This will mark the 39th of the 39 town halls King has held in Iowa's Fourth District this year, beginning in January. Flooding from the

091319 432 Flooding from the torrential rain that's soaked much of southeastern South Dakota closed schools for a second day today submerged city streets and caused some to evacuate their homes. In Brandon, northeast of Sioux Falls, the heavy rain turned the local golf course into a lake. The cities of Mitchell, Dell Rapids and Madison have been hit especially hard with the area receiving more than 7 inches of rain over two days. Airbnb is offering its Open Homes Program to people who are

091319 404 Flooding from the torrential rain that's soaked much of southeastern South Dakota closed schools for a second day today submerged city streets and caused some to evacuate their homes. In Brandon, northeast of Sioux Falls, the heavy rain turned the local golf course into a lake. Portions of the 18-hole course and an office at the clubhouse were flooded. The cities of Mitchell, Dell Rapids and Madison have been hit especially hard with the area receiving more than 7 inches of rain over

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says high water levels from the Missouri River likely played into a drinking water violation in Sioux City involving disinfection byproducts. Samples collected mid-August at one of the city’s eight testing sites showed it was a little bit above the Environmental Protection Agency’s standard for trihalomethanes. The city’s running average for that site for the last year is also above the standard. Julie Sievers is an environmental specialist senior with

091219 532 A lawsuit challenging Iowa's management of fertilizer and hog farm pollution in rivers and streams will move forward. A judge has handed a significant victory to environmental groups. Judge Robert Hanson in a ruling filed yesterday said Iowa Citizens For Community Improvement and Food & Water Watch may proceed to trial. The groups say the state's policy of expanding hog farms and voluntary farm pollution controls is violating the rights of citizens to clean water in the Raccoon