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Clean Up timeframe
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CP on 6/4/2019 12:44:34 PM:
How long do you think the clean up will take after the flooding recedes? Does anyone expect there to be signficant portions of the trail that would remain closed after the water recedes due to damage?
I have my first ever trip planned on the Katy at the end of August and while I would guess that the flooding issue would be over by then, just not sure how quickly the clean up efforts take place to get the trail back into good condition.
 
BikerBoy from Maryville, IL on 6/4/2019 5:04:00 PM:
In 1993, the peak of the flood did not even hit until August 1st, after months of the Missouri River being above flood stage. My Dad's family farm is along the Katy near Boonville, and they had to have hundreds of tons of sand removed from the flooded farm fields. Unfortunately, the water does not just rise and sit there. It moves and scours out the land. There will be significant damage and the extent of repair will not be known until they can see the trail. In areas where it is scoured out, they have to fill it back in, stabilize it, then put on the crushed rock and finally pack it down. Even then, the trail could be very soft for a while (we experienced this on the Rock Island when it first opened). I am hopeful that I will get to do my annual end-to-end, but I know it may be as late as October if it happens.
 
Michael from Mountains (well, hills really) from London, England on 6/5/2019 6:40:48 AM:
Our warmest thanks to all those who are posting updates on the trail situation. They are really useful to us.

We are two couples from UK who plan to cycle Sedalia to St Charles late September 2019. We've cycled the whole GAP/Columbia-Ohio and bits of the Erie Canal Trail, and this is (was?) to be our first foray onto the prairies and into Missouri.

The weather seems so much more extreme now. We have very dry conditions for the second year running in the south of England. You have storms, tornados and rain, rain, rain.
Let's hope the trail can be repaired when the water subsides.
It is very concerning, because of these man-made changes in our climate, and personally because we have all our accommodation booked and some of it paid for in advance, and we love to cycle on your trails.
 
Gary from Near Tebbetts on 6/5/2019 1:48:08 PM:
There’s something ironic about someone flying thousands of miles spewing pollutants high in the atmosphere to bike a trail and then complaining about man made climate change. :-)

Not judging, we all fly planes to get where we want to go. In Missouri, spring is always flood season, you should be fine on your fall season ride.
 
Hotelbothwellsedaliamo from Sedalia on 6/6/2019 2:20:49 PM:
Let us know if we ca help with any lodging accommodations, we do offer a Katy Trail discount of 25% off room rate if you book with us directly.
Safe Travels.
Hotel Bothwell
 
Sharonbikes from Kansas City on 6/6/2019 7:26:47 PM:
It all depends on how much damage there is to the Trail. I expect parts of the Trail that haven't been underwater will be just fine, but I expect there will be substantial damage to the Trail where it has been under water. But, there will be no way to know until the water goes down. I saw a recent article where the Corps of Engineers is saying the rivers will be high til fall - we all hope that means "high" and not flooded. Time will tell.
 
Gary from Near Tebbetts on 6/6/2019 10:36:42 PM:
My guess is that there will be substantial damage in areas prone to flash floods (areas around creeks and small rivers) and the Missouri River flood water will leave behind thick layers of a mud/sand mixture on the trail when it recedes which will need to be scraped off before repair work can be done. Then there will be the issue of rotting vegetation and other not nice smells for all those that venture out soon after the trail dries out.
 
BikerBoy from Maryville, IL on 6/15/2019 9:44:00 AM:
Check out this article and photo. Yeah, major repairs are going to be needed.

http://www.newstribune.com/news/local/story/2019/jun/15/no-damage-assessment-yet-for-katy-trail/782869/
 
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