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Weather Service: Spring Flooding Likely

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The National Weather Service is predicting a high likelihood of significant flooding along much of the upper Mississippi River this spring.

The St. Louis office of the Weather Service released its Spring Flood Outlook, and the concerns are ominous. The Weather Service cites high levels of stream flow, soil moisture and snowpack in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and northern Missouri.

Hydrologist Mark Fuchs says this week's snow storm didn't help. He says towns along the Mississippi from Minnesota south to the St. Louis area could see moderate to major flooding in the spring.

Flooding is considered less likely on the Mississippi south of St. Louis because parts of southern Illinois and southeast Missouri had below average rainfall through 2010.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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