The city of St. Joseph has begun some early flood preparations this morning while waiting on a revised river stage update from the National Weather Service.

The city started a voluntary evacuation of residents along Waterworks Road in far northeast St. Joseph, according to city spokeswoman Mary Robertson. Those residences sit along the river or require access along Waterworks Road, which runs along the river.

The city will begin filling sandbags as a precaution as soon as the bags arrive this morning from Smithville, Mo. The city has requested 60,000 bags as a precaution.

The city is not yet seeking volunteers for the effort. The city at this point only wants to have the sandbags on stand-by.

The primary points of concern are two gaps in the levee along Stockyards Expressway and the city's sewer treatment plant along Stockyards Expressway.

The National Weather Service is sticking with its predicted river crest of 26.9 feet at early Saturday. The city expects a possible update around 2 p.m. this afternoon, Ms. Robertson said.

Twenty-seven feet is an important threshold for St. Joseph. Above that level, the city's sewer treatment plant could flood and can no longer drain into the river.

The city acquired pumps during last year's flood threat to take treated sewage over the levee if the river rises above 27 feet.

The Missouri River levees in St. Joseph are expected to protect homes and businesses against at least 32-feet river levels. Above 30 feet, concerns arise regarding overtopping or damage to the levees.

Last spring, St. Joseph and Elwood, Kan., avoided major flooding when the Missouri River crested at 25.2 feet. The weather service had predicted a river level of 28.5 feet last year.