*** UPDATE 2 *** The river has topped the levee in Olive Branch…
A flooded Mississippi River has flowed over the top of a levee in southern Illinois.
Patti Thompson is spokeswoman for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. She says officials received a report that water was higher than the levee at Olive Branch in Alexander County.
Thompson didn’t know if anyone was hurt or property damaged, but she says it appears the water had begun backing off.
The Wabash River on the eastern border of Illinois was also flowing over a levee in Lawrence County. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the county.
* And despite what his press release said earlier today, Sen. Mark Kirk is now on a ground tour of Cairo. He didn’t just fly over. Good for him. A photo of Kirk in Cairo just after landing…
Kirk being briefed by Army Corps of Engineers, with the big Cairo sandboil in the background…
Checking out that big sinkhole…
*** UPDATE 2 *** Courtesy of Sen. Kirk, here’s the Birds Point levee, which was blown up by the Corps of Engineers last night…
*** UPDATE 3 *** A much better video of the Birds Point explosion…
[ *** End Of Updates *** ]
* As of 9 o’clock this morning, the Ohio River was at 60.45 at Cairo. That’s down from 61.72 feet at its peak yesterday before that Missouri fuseplug levee was blown. Here’s the chart…
The previous Cairo record was was 59.5 feet. There’s still a ways to go before the river even gets that low. At least four more days, according to that chart.
* If you haven’t yet seen the video of the Missouri levee’s demolition, click here. Boom!
Here’s the audio version…
* Oh, ye of little faith…
Missouri officials fought hard to stop the plan, filing court actions all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Rep. Jo Anne Emerson, a Republican from nearby Cape Girardeau, stood beside Walsh as he announced his decision Monday, but she was clearly unhappy.
“We’re uprooting families that have been here six generations and you don’t even know if it’s going to work,” she said.
* A second blast at the southern end of the levee to allow outflow was delayed last night due to weather conditions.
* Illinois’ problems persist, however…
Hardin County volunteers were sandbagging in Elizabethtown as the Ohio River keeps rising, a sheriff’s dispatcher said Monday night. There has been no mandatory evacuation order, but some residents are leaving, she added. Illinois 146 was still open in Elizabethtown.
* The Little Wabash River is about to hit its second highest flooding stage in history…
Sandbagging occurred throughout low-lying areas of the city Monday, as well as along Possum Road just south of town. And officials were hopeful that this would keep the water at bay long enough for the river to crest and the flood to recede.
Hopes that the Wabash River had crested have proven premature. At Mt. Carmel, where flood stage is 19 feet, the Wabash was measured at 33.5 feet at 2 p.m. Monday and is expected to crest Thursday evening at 34.1 feet—just above the all-time record of 34 feet.
Downstream at New Harmony, Ind., where flood stage is 15 feet, the Wabash was measured at 23.29 feet at 4:30 p.m. Monday, with a crest of about 23.5 feet expected Tuesday evening.
And at Old Shawneetown, where flood stage is 33 feet, the Ohio River was measured at 54.86 feet at 4:30 p.m. Monday, with a crest of about 56 feet expected Wednesday evening.
* There’s also trouble in Alexander County…
Residents of Urbandale scrambled to gather be-longings and evacuate homes Monday as flash flooding overtook the small town that resides along the Ohio River be-tween Mound City and Cairo.
Sue Travis ran back and forth from her front door to her PT Cruiser, packing it with blankets and pillows, as water completely engulfed her backyard.
“None of this water was (here) at 9 this morning,” Travis said.
At the same time, Michael Woodworth was readying his family to evacuate to Anna. They had fled Cairo for Urban-dale last wee
* The rain continues unabated…
The month of May has only just begun, but it’s already shaping up to be a wetter-than-normal one.
In fact, the first two days of the month may have already topped the monthly average for Southern Il-linois.
“So far, we’re four inches and counting,” meteorologist Rick Shanklin of the National Weather Service in Paducah said Monday afternoon. “Normal rainfall in May is 4.82 inches and we may exceed that before the end of (Monday). In two days, we’ve basically made our average for the month.”
* The flooding is straining local resources to the limit…
Marty Nicholson with Alexander County’s emergency management office, said she hopes that the feds show up soon.
“There are so many costs right now. I just hope (we get) a federal disaster declaration to help pay for all of this,” she said.
Nicholson is quick to say that Alexander County is “already deep in debt” so it can’t pay for much. As the only paid employee in the county’s emergency management office, she said she’s taking time off from her other job to do her duty as emergency manager.
“I’m using my vacation days from the Cairo Police Department to be able to fight these floods,” she said.
Alexander County can’t even pay for meals for the emergency workers. Nicholson said volunteers are bringing in food.
“Ladies from the local churches down here are doing a fantastic job of feeding and taking care of us,” she said.
* And the Red Cross is still in dire need of volunteers…
The Red Cross is still in need of volunteers to give any amount of time they can to assist with needs of flood victims. As area rivers continue to rise and rain continues to pelt Southern Illinois, many residents are forced to leave their homes and stay in emergency shelters.
Red Cross volunteer Linda Parker is coordinating volunteer efforts during the flooding. Both trained volunteers and “spontaneous” volunteers (who have not had Red Cross training) will be welcomed, she said. Those willing to serve are asked to call the Red Cross office at 618-529-1525.
* Meanwhile, Gov. Pat Quinn smoothed over some ruffled feathers after he failed to visit Cairo last week…
State Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, said Quinn’s trip on Monday made up for hurt feelings from last week.
“It is important that the governor’s presence being made known in those areas where they are suffering the most,” Bost said.
Cairo Mayor Judson Childs said it was good to have Quinn and officers from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers standing behind him on Monday.
“I’m glad to look up at their faces,” Childs said. “When you have a team, when you are playing ball, you look around and you look for some support, and it makes you feel much better.”
* And Sen. Mark Kirk may be making the same mistake Quinn made last week by holding a presser in Marion and then flying over the real damage. From a press release…
Following a briefing by Illinois emergency management officials on Mississippi and Ohio River flooding, U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) will hold a media availability at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday to discuss the need for federal assistance in flood-ravaged Southern Illinois towns. Senator Kirk also will take a helicopter tour of flooded Southern Illinois towns like Cairo
* Roundup…
* Ohio River Sets New Record, Mississippi Waters Still Rising
* Q & A about insurance in the wake of storms
* Ameren Illinois activates emergency operations center
* Illinois Prisoners Help In Southern Illinois Floods
* Equality residents cope with flooding
* Brookport-Paducah Bridge closed
* Flood gates being closed in Golconda
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:29 am:
Looks like they’re going to get a break from the rain until at least Saturday. Hopefully, it gives folks a fighting chance.
- Peggy R - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:41 am:
I want to complement you on your excellent coverage of the flooding in Southern IL. THE source on the web (and probably anywhere) for all relevant information.
I am sorry for all those losing property and livelihoods as a result.
- hawksfan - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:58 am:
For those that can’t get down there to help but would still like to contribute to the relief effort, where can we send donations?
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 11:02 am:
Red Cross would be your best bet, hawksfan.
- jaranath - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 11:08 am:
Fingers crossed, and double-knotted. We may get lucky with this one. This is going to exceed the 1927 floods in some areas and yet it’s probably not going to be anywhere near as devastating. Score one for imperfect-but-better floodplain management and flood control infrastructure.
If I may, I’d like to plug John Barry’s book Rising Tide. It’s a great read, ostensibly about the 1927 flood but just as much about the American politics of the time, race, social structure and the classic American narrative of the “self-made man”.
Yes, I really am a fanboy of a book about flooding, sad as that sounds. But it’s a LOT more than “a book about flooding”.
- Garry - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 12:48 pm:
I’m assuming that the feds are going to pay to rebuild the farmer’s homes. I hope that they’re smart enough to require that the homes be rebuilt high up on artificial mounds so if this has to be done again, then the homes will be safe & not have to be rebuilt.
- amalia - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 12:51 pm:
thank you, Gov. Kirk.
- NeveroddoreveN - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 12:52 pm:
Excellent points by Jaranath. Makes you wonder if Missouri’s lack of enforcement regarding floodplain management and NFIP regulations will open them up to lawsuits from the homes behind birds point levee.
- Cheryl44 - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 1:11 pm:
hawksfan–American Red Cross Little Egypt Network, 665 N. Airport Rd Suite 112, Murphysboro 62966.
- jaranath - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 1:20 pm:
I don’t know the NFIP situation there, but yeah, I wonder what liabilities might exist. I wonder how many of those homes are relatively new, too.
- jaranath - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 1:28 pm:
In case the conversation seems snarky, just to be clear: Regardless of how they got there, it still REALLY sucks that people on either side of the river are getting flooded, and I second others’ desire to help.
Southern Illinois tends to get the short end of the stick when it comes to disaster declarations, because their lower population density and rural space make it a lot harder to qualify. And they’ve been hit pretty hard the last several years.
- hawksfan - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 2:53 pm:
Thanks Rich and Cheryl.
- JN - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 2:57 pm:
Flood projection for Metropolis. Lots of businesses along US 45.
http://img863.imageshack.us/f/metrofloodprojection201.jpg/
- Illinois Geologist - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 3:28 pm:
It is my understanding that the homes in the Birds Point-New Madrid floodway are not eligible for flood insurance. Government assistance for those without flood insurance is very limited.
I’m not sure what, if any, assistance they will receive. 1) The Federal Government purchased the flood rights to that land. 2) It is clearly designated on maps as a floodway.
The Corps will probably use some of the unwanted sediment to fill in any cavities and rebuild the levee.
It appears that this will be resolved by the courts.
- A-Noni-Mouse - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 7:25 pm:
Elsewhere, it has been noted that Rep. Shimkus of Collinsville has supported the efforts of the Corps to open the levee on the Missouri side to reduce this all-time flood peak. Seems at odds with his comments in the House some months ago: (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/44958.html)
regarding man’s effects upon global climate change, and its consequences such as increase rainfall and flooding. Wonder which side of his mouth he’ll speak from next?
- jaranath - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:19 pm:
A-Noni-Mouse:
I’m a raving liberal who embraces the scientific method as a way of life. I abhor Shimkus’ recent warming denialism. So I hope you’ll understand I have zero interest in defending the man. But your statement doesn’t make sense.
Shimkus may have uttered many God-soaked inanities about global warming, but in the very article you cite he concedes that it’s real. He appears to be of the school of denialists who claim to accept warming, but deny that climate change is caused by human activity.
Moreover, Shimkus didn’t say anything in that article about local rainfall or flooding. I can’t find anything suggesting he has discussed any link between warming and flooding, even if only to deny it. Even if he had, there’s nothing “at odds” with his denialism and his recognition that a specific flood is bad. And current data is too short-term to support any clear conclusions about local rainfall and flooding. Warming might make flooding worse in our region, but even if it does, at this stage it probably wouldn’t add much to the problem.
I share your distaste for Shimkus’ comments, but you’re trying too hard to drag them into the issue at hand. Blaming global warming for any given flood isn’t very different from sticking Al Gore’s book in a snowbank.