03/16/2009

Associated Press

The late-winter flooding in Missouri is all but over.

Heavy rains earlier this month led some rivers to rise quickly, including the Mississippi, but they're going down just as fast.

The Mississippi reached more than 6 feet above flood stage in Hannibal on Thursday, but has dropped about 4 feet since then and should be back within its banks by Wednesday. The river is also dropping rapidly at Canton, Louisiana, Clarksville and Winfield.

No major damage has been reported from the flooding, though thousands of acres of farmland have been inundated with water.

Last week, National Weather Service hydrologist Mark Fuchs said that despite the moderate flooding, the outlook for the spring indicates that severe flooding is unlikely.