Coast Guard Closes Portion of Missouri River

Closure is for safety of anglers and
boaters

The U.S. Coast Guard has closed the Missouri River to all vessel
traffic, including vessels used for fishing and recreation, from
mile marker 386 located downstream of Leavenworth, Kansas,
northward to mile marker 811, near Gavins’ Point Dam in Yankton,
South Dakota.

Mile marker 386 is about one-half river-mile downstream of the
ADM/Growmark grain elevator facility located on the Kansas side of
the river. The closure includes the entire length of the Kansas
portion of the Missouri River northward from mile marker 386.

The closure is a result of consultations with the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers and the governors of Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and
Missouri.

“For their own safety and the safety of emergency personnel who
could be called to their rescue, it is vital that people avoid the
dangerous flooding conditions on the Missouri River,” said Robin
Jennison, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and
Tourism (KDWPT).”

According to Captain Rob Ladner, a law enforcement supervisor
with KDWPT, the swift floodwaters create unpredictable currents and
carry large, hazardous debris. “The high water level hides
submerged obstacles, making any kind of boating unsafe,” he
added.

Information about flooding along the Missouri River is available
from the Kansas Adjutant General’s Department, www.kansastag.gov;
and the U.S. Coast Guard at www.FloodResponse2011.com. The Coast Guard also urges
boaters to monitor VHF-FM channels 16 and 22 for any changes to the
closure.