Midwest mayors remain upbeat despite flooding on Mississippi River

The Upper Mississippi River will rise to near record-high levels as it flows through Wisconsin and Iowa, but officials said Thursday they expected to hold back floodwaters with a combination of flood walls, temporary barriers and wetlands, especially if dry weather continues.

The Mississippi already has crested in St. Paul, Minnesota, and La Crosse, Wisconsin, but it will be days before it begins falling in some areas to the south. The high water is due to the quick melting of a giant snowpack in northern Minnesota that is slowly moving down the approximately 2,300-mile (3,700-kilometer) river that will ultimately empty into the Gulf of Mexico.

Despite the flooding in parts of the Upper Midwest, states to the south aren't expected to experience any flooding because tributaries in Iowa, Illinois and other Midwest states are running lower than usual, said Mike Welvaert, a National Weather Service hydrologist. Next week is expected to be mostly dry with only some showers in the forecast, he said, meaning that's unlikely to change.