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Nixon: high flood waters to stick around for most of summer

Mo. Gov. Jay Nixon with officers from the Missouri National Guard at the Howell Island Conservation Area outside Chesterfield, Mo. on July 1, 2011.
(Adam Allington/St. Louis Public Radio)
Mo. Gov. Jay Nixon with officers from the Missouri National Guard at the Howell Island Conservation Area outside Chesterfield, Mo. on July 1, 2011.

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon says high flood water on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers will be with us for most of the summer this year.

Nixon met with local officials in St. Charles and St. Louis Counties today.

Outside of the city of Chesterfield, Mo. Nixon stood on a levee that was reinforced after the Flood of 93.

Nixon says he doesn't expect the flooding to be as severe, but the Army National Guard is already standing by should if needed.

"Our hope and expectation is that this area will stay high and dry, but we want to continue to send a strong signal that our three goals are very clear," Nixon said. "We're going to protect lives, we're going to protect property, we're going to win flood fights where we can and we're going to be here afterwards to make sure it gets cleaned up."

Nixon is pledging an additional $100 million in state disaster aid to assist with rebuilding efforts from the Joplin tornado and continued flooding across the state.