Twenty-five years ago, on Aug. 1, 1993, the Mississippi River crested in the city of St. Louis at the highest level ever recorded — 49.58 feet. By the time the water retreated, the Mississippi and Missouri rivers had topped or burst levees in nine states, killed 50 people and caused $15 billion in damage. Residents can still feel the impact of the watershed disaster a quarter of a century later.
For months, our newsroom worked on a retrospective reporting project featuring six stories — offering perspectives from scientists, engineers, business people, and everyday citizens from towns large and small affected by the historic flood.
Read or listen to the series, then share your stories with us on Facebook and Twitter:
- What do you remember?
- How were you, your family or business affected?
- Would you be prepared if a flood of that magnitude happened again?
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