Missouri River flooding prompts MDC to close several conservation areas in northwest region

St. Joseph, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has closed several conservation areas in the state’s northwest region due to Missouri River flooding. Some areas are under water, others are inaccessible or will remain closed due to public safety issues until further notice.

MDC staff on March 19 continued to work with local farmers and the levee district to keep flood water from overtopping or breaching levees protecting farms and the Bob Brown Conservation Area near Forest City in Holt County. But other conservation areas to the north are flooded, said Blaine Adams, MDC disaster response coordinator. Some of those areas include flood plain acreage between the river and levees, while other areas are behind levees that have been breached by floodwater.

“About everything in Atchison County west of Interstate 29 is under water or is going to be soon,” Adams said of MDC areas.

MDC has also closed the Cooley Lake Conservation Area boat ramp in Clay County in the Kansas City area due to high water.

The following conservation areas or river accesses with boat ramps are closed in northwest Missouri.

• Atchison County: Aspinwall Bend, Corning, Hoot Owl Bend, Langdon Bend, Lower Hamburg Bend, Upper and Lower Nishnabotna, and Watson Access.

• Holt County: Bob Brown, Derion Bend, Monkey Mountain, Payne Landing, Rush Bottom Bend, Thurnau, Wolf Creek Bend.

• Andrew County: Nodaway Island, Tom Brown Access, Worthwine Island.

• Buchanan County: Dupree Memorial, French Bottoms Access at St Joseph, Jentell Brees Access, Kneib Memorial.

For more information on MDC conservation areas, including updates on closures, visit http://mdc.mo.gov.