Southeast Missouri / Lead Belt / Mississippi Corridor
The St. Francis River and Wayne County's flood history
The St. Francis River runs through Wayne County, which has flooded before. Look up any address on FEMA's flood maps, and don't assume Wappapello Lake removes all flood risk.
The St. Francis River runs through Wayne County. The area has flooded before. That is a big reason the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built Wappapello Lake just upstream. Congress approved the dam for flood control in the 1936 Flood Control Act, and it was finished in 1941. Holding back floodwater is still its main job.
If you are buying or renting here, flood risk is worth pinning down rather than guessing. FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center at msc.fema.gov gives you the exact address’s flood zone, which affects flood insurance and what a heavy rain might mean for the property.
The dam helps, but it does not erase flood risk for every spot near the river. Treat the river as a planning factor, not just a view. For local flood and storm tips, check with Wayne County emergency management or Missouri SEMA.
References
More from Wayne County: browse every local note for the county.
Last checked against the sources above: June 20, 2026.