Nov. 30 -- Joplin residents can rake their leaves and pile them next to the curb and city crews will being hauling them away on Monday.

The city does this to prevent leaves from clogging storm drains and causing flooding.

Two city crews start picking up the leaves in the outer areas of Joplin and work toward the center of town.

Residents can see which area their neighborhood is assigned to and check the progress of the crews at this website: https://www.joplinmo.org/leafpickup.

Street crews will work in map areas labeled S1 through S5, city park crews will work neighborhoods marked P1 through P5.

Street Department crews will start in the first neighborhoods of the Silver Creek, Highlands and Woodland Hills areas (S1) and then move to neighborhoods east of Range Line Road. After S1 is completed, crews shift to S2 at the north end of Joplin and work toward the south.

Park Department crew begins south of 32nd Street and west of Main Street (P1) and then move east toward Range Line Road (P2), progressing through each section until reaching P5.

Due to variables such as the amount of leaves on streets, weather and unforeseen conditions, city officials said in a statement that it is difficult to predict the exact day crews will get to each area.

Crews will pick up leaves in each area only once.

Residents should rake their leaves to the curb of the property line. Leaves should not be raked into any street or sidewalk, as this can clog storm drains and could force the city's street-sweeping truck to bypass your area. No tree limbs, brush or rocks are to be in the leaf piles.

Residents who wish to dispose of leaves now can take them to the Joplin Compost Facility next to the Turkey Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant, 3457 Eddy Lane. Remove leaves from trash bags and take trash bags. Do not leave brush, tree limbs, bags or trash.