ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The riverboat cruises at the St. Louis Arch returned to the water Friday morning, clear to navigate the Mississippi River for the first time this week.

The boats have been docked for several days following flooding on the river, which crested earlier in the week. The flooded waterway carried chunks of debris, with dangerously swift currents in the segment that runs through downtown St. Louis.

But Amber Barbeau, the director of the cruises, said that the river has since dropped below the dangerous threshold and much of the debris has been flushed out of the area.

“We’re excited to be cruising again,” Barbeau said. “The river conditions were finally met for us to cruise. It fell below thirty feet and the debris has gone down.”

The pool near downtown is still closed off to smaller recreational boats, as are several others in the area.

Lt. Eric Kiehlmeier with the US Coast Guard said that officials would likely reopen those sections in the next few days, depending on water conditions.

Kiehlmeier cautioned, however, that parts of the river would still require caution with high water and fast-moving currents.

“Just because we’re not in a high water phase doesn’t mean there’s no debris or the current isn’t strong. We recommend using the buddy system out on the river,” he said.

He said the Coast Guard would continue updating conditions over the next few days.

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