ST. LOUIS (AP) – River levels are falling after record and near-record flooding in parts of the Midwest, but the crisis is far from over.

The troublesome Black River that runs from southeast Missouri into northeast Arkansas was down after cresting earlier this week in places like Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and Pocahontas, Arkansas. But the mess left behind is substantial after the river reached record levels in both places.

The Meramec River in suburban St. Louis also is on the decline. A levee at Valley Park, Missouri, is holding, as is a sandbag levee consisting of 250,000 bags in nearby Eureka.

Residents aren’t breathing easy yet: More rain on Thursday will keep the river high for several days.