Washington (Platts)--31May2013/240 pm EDT/1840 GMT

The US Army Corps of Engineers closed Lock and Dam 24 on the Mississippi River near Clarksville, Missouri, Friday due to high water, and will close Lock and Dam 25 on the river near Winfield, Missouri, on Saturday, it said.

The Corps also said it is activating its Emergency Operations Center in St. Louis to coordinate local flood fighting efforts.

Based on the most recent forecasts from the National Weather Service, the Corps said it is not anticipating closures at the Mel Price Lock and Dam near Alton, Illinois, and Lock 27 near Granite City, Illinois.

Both locks are downstream from the closed locks.

The Corps did not state how long it thinks the closures will last, and a spokesman was not immediately available.

The river level at Lock and Dam 24 measured 32.5 feet early Friday, well above the flood level of 25 feet, according to the Corps.

In St. Louis, the river measured 29.6 feet as of early Friday, just below the 30-foot flood mark.

According to the weekly river stage forecast issued Wednesday by the NWS, the water level at St. Louis is forecast to reach 34.9 feet on June 5.

--Andrew Moore, andrew.moore@platts.com  --Edited by Keiron Greenhalgh, keiron.greenhalgh@platts.com

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