Third round of flooding in 2019 likely along Missouri River

(AP) – Federal officials say the amount of water flowing down the lower Missouri River this year is approaching the 2011 record and a third round of flooding is expected this week after unusually heavy rains upstream.

Heavy rains dumped more than four times normal in parts of Montana, Nebraska, North and South Dakota last week. That triggered flood warnings and forced the forecast for how much water will flow down the Missouri River to jump to 58.8 million acre feet (17.92 million meters).

That will be second only to 2011’s 61 million acre feet (18.59 million meters).

The Corps of Engineers doesn’t expect major problems or threats to cities with the latest flooding – provided the temporary repairs made to levees since the spring hold up. But communities along the river are bracing for problems.