During the flood of 2011 on the Missouri River, the high water created a sand bar across much of the mouth of the James River, causing that river to back up for miles.

Dave Bartel, Manager of the James River Water Development District, says he has been talking to the Corps of Engineers about that block…

 

The sand bar actually caused the river to turn to the west, flowing into the current of the Missouri River.

Bartel says the best action now is probably waiting…

 

Bartel says they did take a look at possibly doing some dredging to open the sand bar…

 

The low water now on both rivers, and ice action is helping open up some drainage channels for the James River.

That river empties into the Missouri River a few miles downstream of Yankton.