Flooding: Hwy 141 at I-44 All Clear While Other Local Roads Wet

State officials closed Highway 141 at I-44 due to flooding early Saturday morning. Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT) said Meramec River flooding led to the 3 a.m. action.

Highway 141 had flooding four-tenths of a mile on either side of the interchange with I-44, according to MODOT, at south of Valley Park.

National Weather Service reports flood warnings in effect at Valley Park until Monday morning. Moderate flooding was forecast. The flood stage was at 22.8 feet Sunday. Flooding begins at the 16 feet stage.

Rain hit the area Sunday evening, so it was unclear when flooding would dissipate.

A week's worth of rain had already added more fuel to the rising Meramec River running between Sunset Hills and Fenton.

Bridge construction on Old Gravois Road over the river was halted and Minnie Ha Ha park on the Sunset Hills side was closed, when parts of it were under water.

Rising water surrounded Old Gravois Road on both sides. The latest report by NWS is the river crested some time late Saturday, which means it would reach a peak, and rise no higher—but depending on weather.

Baseball fields near West Watson and Highway 30/Gravois Road were under water mid-week. Tapawingo and Sunset Lakes golf courses have also been known to take on water.

According to city maps, some areas along the Meramec River are in the "floodway"—such as West Watson Road and Old Gravois up to about Winter Industrial Road. 

Beyond that is the "floodplain" area, roughly along Old Gravois Road up to about Gravois Industrial and south to Allswell Lane, according to maps.

A major Meramec tributary in Sunset Hills runs roughly from I-270 between Weber Hill and Kennerly roads, along Old Gravois Road, then down behind Rambling Oaks Drive, Chateau Chura and between Forest Path and Gravois Industrial, near the tennis club, and finally joining the river.