The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District, Flood Plain Management Services Program hosted a virtual public meeting on Jan. 27 and presented the final results of the Emergency Action and Evacuation Plan for the City of De Soto, Mo., in Jefferson County. 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FPMS Program has been working in partnership with the City of DeSoto, state and local authorities since 2018 to address concerns from area flooding. The most recent product produced is the Emergency Action and Evacuation Plan for the City of De Soto.

This plan is intended to serve as a guideline for the city government to effectively prepare and respond to flood events. These flood events include overbank flooding of Joachim Creek, upstream dam breaches, and heavy rainfall events.

The EAP contains a variety of flood-related emergency topics to include analysis of five potential hydraulic frequency events (1-, 10-, 25-, 100- and 500-year events), consequences modeling via Hydrologic Engineering Center’s Loss of Life Simulation  software, identification of two primary areas of greater potential for life loss (a mobile home park near East Kingston Street and East Main Street, and a section of Veterans Drive near the entrance to Walther Park), use of available weather forecasting via the National Weather Service’s stream stage forecast, use of inundation mapping via the USGS Flood Inundation Mapper, identification of roadways not available during a flood event, identification of shelter areas and completion of a tabletop exercise.

This EAP was developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Louis District through the Floodplain Management Services Program authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1960, which provides technical services and planning guidance needed to support effective floodplain management.