The Jefferson City Memorial Airport may be ready for daytime traffic in about a week, contingent upon whether the floodwaters continue to recede, a Jefferson City official said Friday.
Since late May, the airport has been closed due to Missouri River flooding all along the river basin. The floodwaters breached the Capital View levee around May 24 and created a 30- to 40-foot gap, leading to flooding at the airport and throughout North Jefferson City.
The Jefferson City Public Works Department was at the airport again Friday, cleaning the runways and terminal.
The department began cleaning up the runways around June 24 after the floodwaters receded. However, the Missouri River rose later that week and flooded north Jefferson City - and the airport - again.
"The actual mud and dirt and debris are worse this time. But on the brighter side, we learned a lot the last time," Jefferson City Operations Division Director Britt Smith said.
As of Friday, the airport's two runways were open, but the taxiways were underwater, Smith said.
The Missouri River was at about 26.3 feet Friday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
The Jefferson City Memorial Airport has been closed for about six weeks.