Locust Creek runs through the county's farmland

Locust Creek is one of the streams threading through Sullivan County’s farmland, and like many north-Missouri prairie streams it has broad bottoms that flood after heavy rain. For a land buyer, that has practical consequences: bottom ground may be productive farmland but sit in a floodplain, which affects building, insurance, and how often a low spot or crossing goes underwater. Before buying low-lying acreage, check the FEMA flood maps for the parcel and ask locally about how the creek behaves in a wet spring. The FEMA Flood Map Service Center is the authoritative source for flood zones, and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources covers broader water and drainage context. Knowing where the floodplain sits is cheaper than learning it the hard way.