Upstream rainfall sends local rivers surging
Aaron Foster shared this photo of the Highway 181 bridge near Hodgson Mill Saturday evening as a large log pile jammed up as Bryant Creek rose to a torrent of muddy water, rising more than 6 feet from Friday to Sunday.
Many Ozark Countians were surprised this weekend to see the North Fork of the White River and Bryant Creek rise dramatically despite only moderate showers falling across these local hills.
The culprit, it turns out, was upstream, where heavy pockets of rain fell around Mountain Grove, Cabool, Willow Springs and other locations near the upper reaches of the area’s beloved streams. The downpours sent a surge of water downstream, reaching Ozark County Saturday night. By Sunday morning, both rivers were rolling.
According to the United States Geological Survey, the river gauge station on the North Fork near Tecumseh measured around 3 feet Friday before rising to 11.7 feet shortly after midnight Sunday. The Bryant followed a similar trend, with the gauge starting Friday around 4.3 feet and rising to 10.4 feet by midnight Sunday.
Residents across the county shared their experiences watching the water rise.
Aaron Foster, who lives near Hodgson Mill, north of Gainesville, said he and his family watched the swelling waters of Bryant Creek on Saturday evening and were amazed by the speed of the rise. He said the creek went from about 2 feet below the Highway 181 bridge near the mill to more than 4 feet over the bridge.
“The amount of debris we saw piling up in the hour or so we watched really was something,” Foster said. “It’s packed solid like a beaver dam. There’s a couple nice fiberglass canoes smashed in there somewhere.”
At presstime Tuesday, the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Traveler Information Map showed that the Highway 181 and Highway 95 bridges in Ozark County remained closed because of high water and resulting damage. Ozark County commissioners said Warren Bridge, which crosses the Bryant on County Road 328, also sustained damage, but crews were working Monday to make repairs. Eastern District Commissioner Jim Britt said he expected the work to be completed Monday and the roadway reopened.
Although the floodwaters have receded, another weather concern has arrived. July has blown in on a breath of hot, humid weather. High temperatures are expected to exceed 90 degrees. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Ozark County through Friday as heat index values are forecast to remain above 100 degrees each day.