Wet ground in St. Louis area is a factor in toppled trees

BRENTWOOD, Mo. -- The wettest June on record in St. Louis has caused rivers to rise and saturated farmland. It's also a factor in an unexpected problem -- toppling trees.

For trees already suffering from other problems, the extremely wet ground is allowing some, including old and tall trees, to tumble.

Arborist Tony Zebrowski told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch a surprising number of tall trees have fallen in recent weeks, since the rains came.

"We'll have (tree) challenges into the fall if we don't dry out," Zebrowski said.

St. Louis received a June record of 13.14 inches of rain, the second-wettest month since record-keeping began more than 140 years ago.

Karl Dreyer of the company Davey Tree says tree roots grow out like a pancake and not down deep into the ground, so wind can knock over a tree in saturated soil.

In Brentwood, Korey Kline felt his home shake a few weeks ago. He stepped into his backyard to see that his neighbor's large shingle oak had fallen. The tree was so big, its fall affected four properties.

"I guess we'll have all the firewood we'll need for the next few years," neighbor John Spencer said, surveying the twisted branches and chopped wood still scattered around.

Zebrowski said west St. Louis County in particular has poor soil, which may have affected trees there and added to other problems such as soil stress and disease that combine with wet ground to cause uprooting.

Kevin Smith, who lives with Spencer in Brentwood, pointed to a large crooked tree near the space where the old shingle oak once stood.

"We're just waiting for that one to fall now," Smith said.

Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com