Southbound I-29 exit closed at Hamilton; Big Sioux can be crested; Riverside utilities may be overrun

Adjacent road leading to nearby Chris Larsen Park, Hilton Garden Inn, The Sergeant Floyd River Museum and Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center were also closed as the river swelled beyond its banks. The river carried significant amounts of flotsam, including docks and trees that floated swiftly down the river.

Sioux City Fire Chief Tom Everett said at a news conference Sunday night that levees in Sioux City’s vulnerable Riverside neighborhood are expected to withstand water and that the Big Sioux River could reach a record 44, 25 feet. But, he noted, officials were repeatedly surprised over the weekend by river levels that far exceeded forecasts.

“If it crests, then what we’re seeing is the worst of them,” Everett said of the Big Sioux River in Riverside. “However, the theme we saw today is that they underestimated the estimates. So to the north of us, they called for peaks at certain levels, and those were exceeded.”

Everett said Riverside residents should not have to evacuate, although utilities in the neighborhood will almost certainly be under severe pressure. Unnecessary trips to Riverside should be avoided. Residents with valuables in the basement are advised to move them upstairs.

“We know utilities are going to be overwhelmed in that area,” Everett said.

The Missouri River is expected to crest around 7 a.m. Monday at a depth of 31.1 feet.

“We’re just asking at this point that people avoid Riverside and the riverfront if at all possible,” Everett said.