Mississippi River level predicted to start dropping at Cape Girardeau

The Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau will start to drop this week from its current level, over 7 feet above flood stage.

At 3 p.m. Monday the river stood at 39.33 feet at Cape Girardeau, according to the National Weather Service. Flood stage is 32 feet.

The flooding has caused the closure of some local roads around Southeast Missouri, but little other damage. The weather service predicts the river will fall to under 35 feet by Saturday. Both the Themis Street and Broadway flood gates in Cape Girardeau should be open by the time the river reaches that level.