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*** UPDATE 1 *** The Illinois attorney general’s office is in the process of working out the details on how it will fight off the Missouri lawsuit…
Our office has already been actively talking to the Army Corps of Engineers to assess the situation on the ground.
Recognizing the urgency here, we’re considering several legal avenues and in the process of determining the most expeditious one. The end goal being to defeat the motion filed by Missouri and to allow the Army Corps to do whatever it needs to do to protect the people in Illinois who’re in the path of this potential disaster.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Explosives-laden barges are being moved into place…
The Memphis District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has moved barges loaded with explosives and equipment upriver on the Mississippi. The Corps plans to operate the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway. Overnight, the barges made their way from Memphis, Tenn., to Charleston, Mo.
There could be a commission ruling tomorrow…
The head of the Mississippi River Commission is expected to announce Wednesday whether to allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to blow a 2,000-foot-wide hole in a Missouri levee to ease record flooding near the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.
And the Army Corps of Engineers may wait until the weekend to do anything…
The Army Corps of Engineers will wait until this weekend to decide whether it is necessary to punch a massive hole in a levee to protect an upstream Illinois town from the rising Mississippi River, a regional spokesman said Wednesday.
The corps has said it may have to blow holes, perhaps using explosives, in the Birds Point levee in southeast Missouri’s Mississippi County to ease rising waters near the 2,800-resident Illinois town of Cairo (KAY’-roh), which sits near the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.
Missouri has filed a federal lawsuit to block the effort because it would swamp farmland. A hearing is scheduled for Thursday in Cape Girardeau.
But corps spokesman Bob Anderson told The Associated Press that even if a judge gives the go-ahead, the agency cautiously will wait until it gets a better forecast of the river crests to see if the breach is necessary to relieve pressure on Cairo’s levees — or if conventional flood-fighting efforts such as sandbagging could suffice.
* Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon defended the Army Corps of Engineers plan to dynamite a Missouri levee in order to relieve severe flooding pressure on Cairo. Missouri has filed suit to stop the levee breach, claiming farmland would be flooded…
Simon told The Associated Press on Tuesday that farmers will be compensated for their losses and will be able to use the land next year. On the other hand, flooding could devastate the poor town of Cairo.
She noted an Illinois levee was intentionally breached during 1993 flooding.
Simon also says the Army Corps of Engineers would not break the Birds Point levee until water had already topped the levee.
The Corps of Engineers says it will put off a decision until at least Wednesday.
* Via Jon Musgrave, we have this history about that particular levee that the Corps wants to blow. from the Red Cross book “The Ohio-Mississippi Valley Flood Disaster of 1937: Report of Relief Operations”…
Simultaneous with the havoc in the Ohio Valley was the insistent threat of another major disaster in the valley of the Mississippi River below Cairo, Illinois. New levees constructed after the Mississippi Flood of 1927 were being put to a severe test for the first time. […]
On January 25, the “fuse-plug” levees along the Missouri shore of the Mississippi River near Cairo were dynamited by U.S. Engineers to relieve the pressure on the sea wall of that city.
This action was part of a definite plan devised since 1927. Cairo stands upon a narrow and low-lying neck of land at the confluence of the Ohio and the mighty Mississippi Rivers. The city’s sea wall can withstand a stage of 60 feet; more than that brings disaster.
In anticipation of what was now happening, and for the purpose of slowing the velocity and reducing the depth of flood waters in the Mississippi, the Engineers, under an act of Congress, had purchased flowage rights through a 130,000 acre strip of rich plantation land extending from Bird’s Point to New Madrid, Missouri.
In other words, the federal government purchased the right to flood that very spot after the disastrous 1927 flood, which permanently displaced 700,000 people. The nation owns the flowage rights. Missouri ought to back off. But Gov. Jay Nixon still says the Corps is wrong…
Nixon told reporters Tuesday he was concerned the corps is “trying to solve the entire watershed pressure on the back of Missouri farmers and Missouri communities” and should instead explore other methods of relieving pressure on the levees.
* Roundup…
* Cairo residents prepare for flood
* Cairo mayor in southern Illinois says 100 have evacuated as flood threat looms
* Levees strain in Midwest; volunteers keep fighting
* Roads closed because of flooding; more rain likely
* Illinois residents advised to consider flood insurance
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 4:45 am
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Previous Post: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and a Statehouse roundup
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how about a trade, the feds won’t dynamite the levee but Missouri farmers forgo all federal crop subsidies in return.
Comment by will of the people Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 6:34 am
I agree with WOTP. If Nixon wants the entire watershed problem to fall on the backs of Illinios citizens, we should also charge Missouri citizens a toll, say $500, every time they cross our border. Charge each St Louis Cardinal $5000 dollars when they come to Wrigley Field.
Comment by Wensicia Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 7:15 am
Recommended reading: “Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How it Changed America” by John M. Barry.
One point, the flood accelerated the Great Migration of Southern blacks to St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, etc.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 7:19 am
Seems an obvious choice between flooding unpopulated farm land and flooding an urban center. While flooding will damage the farm land, it can recover easier than rebuilding Cairo.
Comment by Gregor Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 7:27 am
Following in the steps of William Randolph Hearst, Rich Miller callously attempts to foment a war to increase his own circulation…
Comment by soccermom Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 7:43 am
Wensicia,Cardinal players do, by law, pay Illinois income taxes for their “work” at Wrigley, as do all other visiting professional athletes.
Of course they probably don’t mind since even now the Illinois income tax is lower than the Missouri income tax.
Comment by will of the people Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 8:06 am
Governor Quinn it is past time for you to show up and show out.
Comment by U-SEE Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 8:16 am
What is the surprise here? The rivers have only been doing this exact same thing for how many hundreds of centuries? Build as many levees as you want, the river eventually wins. Just like being upset there is not enough water in the desert after you moved there. If you want to live in the flood plane, the floods eventually come as they always have.
Comment by zatoichi Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 8:47 am
Xenophobes?
I would however partially agree with WOTP, but let’s not stop at MO farmers…
Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 9:13 am
In 2008, levees broke in Henderson County and allowed the Mississippi River to flood prime farmlands and a few small towns. I remember hearing at the time that the flooding there was like releasing a pressure valve on the Mississippi and prevented the weak levees at East St. Louis from going down and flooding that area.
Even three years later, the flooded towns in Henderson County really haven’t recovered. Gladstone, Keithsburg, and Gulfport haven’t been rebuilt to what they were before the flood.
The fact of it is that nature needs land to flood to take the overflow from the river. Experience is showing that we need to have land along the Mississippi where the flood water can go. This is a whole different kind of planning than what we are used to, but we need to take it into account.
Comment by Aldyth Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 9:23 am
if it keeps on rainin’ levees gonna break….
Comment by amalia Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 9:28 am
“Scramble the Bombers!”
Comment by He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 9:51 am
==an urban center==
You gotta be kiddin’
Comment by Bill Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 9:55 am
Those Missouri farmers, past or present, have been paid off to allow their land to flood. Now, when the times calls for flooding, they want to rescind the deal?
Comment by Birdseed Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 9:57 am
Ok I know Bush was blamed for Katrina. Where is GOV QUINN Congressman COSTELLO. I see Congressman Emerson from MO is right in the middle of the fight. The MO attorney general filed a lawsuit to stop the breach. I guess a Democratic voters in CAIRO area is not that important. Oh and I almost forgot a majority of the residents are African American. The poor White Farmers from MO are being represented by the GOV, Att general, and Congress woman. I guess we could blame any problems Cairo has on BUSH. I guess the Politicians for the President down could care less about Cairo. I see another KATRINA in Cairo.
Comment by Bob Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 10:06 am
Birdseed has the point.
The levees were designed that when a flood of this magnitude occures, they Corp could blow the levee as a fail safe. The Corp of Engineers has paid the farmers for flood easements for the right to flood the land if they deem it necessary. They statement that the farmes will be compensated, should read, the farmers have been compensated.
Cairo is the focus of this, but this will also help a lot of other towns like Cape and Paducah.
Comment by the Patriot Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 10:11 am
Bob,
Illinois AG is too distracted by colorful beer cans to file suit…
Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 10:24 am
- Illinois AG is too distracted by colorful beer cans to file suit… -
What exactly would we file a suit against, we want the breach, remember?
And Bob, apparently you’re too distracted to notice that Quinn deployed national guard members to the area and IEMA is fully involved.
Comment by Small Town Liberal Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 10:38 am
I wonder how many of those posting have actually ever been to Cairo. As Bill said - an urban center - you gotta be kiddin’!!! No one wants to lose their homes but Cairo already resembles remnants of a community after a war. The downtown is desolate - a lot of once great historic buildings have already been turned into empty lots or sit abandoned with windows out. The Hospital sits empty with trees growing in it. Though there are a few beautiful historic homes, calling the majority of them “poorly maintained” would be kind. Even the museum at the conflux has been closed. The State gave it to the City but the City has never opened it. Cairo was once a dynamic hub of activity but time, transportation changes and civil rights unrest have eliminated that. The citizens of Cairo might be better off with a fresh start - rebuilding the town out of the flood plain as FEMA did Valmeyer after the Great Flood of 1993. Then bulldoze what is left of “old Cairo” and let the river take it back for flood control.
Comment by Both Sides Now Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 10:49 am
Both Sides Now,
You make me want to push the plunger myself!
Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 10:54 am
This is a great time to rebuild the great urban center of Cairo on high ground.It’s we really time help the people of this town and not put them
thru this every 5 years. We would save money and lives in the long run.
Comment by mokenavince Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 11:18 am
If you Google images of Cairo, you’ll get a pretty accurate picture of this city of dispair.
Comment by Both Sides Now Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 11:32 am
I just Google-mapped Cairo and #Both Sides Now is right - city of dispair…
Comment by globalguy Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 11:45 am
Show Me The Water
Comment by just sayin' Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 11:59 am
Glad to see you covering this. I’ll give Ms. Simon credit for bringing attention to this concern and Ms. Madigan doing something on behalf of southern IL. IL must respond to the MO Gov and AG seeking to stop the levee blowing which would flood farmland in MO to save Cairo.
Flooding and non-stop rain are grave concerns down here. But yes, Cairo is a pretty sad, dead town. A Valmeyer re-set might not be bad for them. MO should offer to cover (some of) the costs of the re-set if Cairo is flooded to save the corn fields. [Corn prices are high, corn is scarce with the ethanol uses increased.]
Comment by Peggy R Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 12:34 pm
Soy Boy needs to step up and announce a three million dollar subsidy to an Illinois company to export the excess water to Syria, Egypt, etc., etc. ala the Asian Carp to China plan.
Seriously, if an Illinois levee was broken in ‘93 to help Missouri towns and the land is already specified as a Floodway and the landowners have already been paid why is there a discussion?
As others have said this is an almost annual thing in the Mississippi drainage. We need to resurrect and replace all of the back waters, wetlands, and marshs that held this water and allowed the rivers to ebb and flow as nature intended. It is the same as the coastal marshes, and back bays of the delta and coastal areas. They protect the mainland from the tide surges of hurricanes and the river backwaters protect the mainland from flooding. Don’t mess with Mother Nature, she will win.
Comment by Irish Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 12:43 pm
Peggy R,
No way MO should pay Illinois because of this. The choice is being made by the Feds, as are virtually all of the decisions associated with navigable waterways.
Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 12:43 pm
I have been to Cairo many times in the last few weeks. Flood it.
Comment by John A Logan Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 12:52 pm
Cincy, I see the point you make. I understand. I also later read comments here that part of the existing deal is that MO farmers have been compensated for the possibility of being flooded. I still think it’s possible to propose that MO farmers need to compensate Cairo IL landholders if they want to change the terms of the deal. The feds’ money has already gone to MO farmers. MO is challenging in court the terms that have already been set with the Feds. My point is that if MO wins in court and prevents the levee from being blown, then Cairo floods and should be compensated. MO farmers who have been compensated by the feds to be flooded should bear (some of) that cost for the policy to change.
Cheers!
Comment by Peggy R Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 12:54 pm
Is Missouri a swing state in the 2012 presidential election?
Comment by Not It Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 2:30 pm
For those of you suggesting that Cairo be purposely allowed to flood, may God have mercy on you. Regardless of how bad off the town may be, there are 2800 people who call this place home, my mother being one. Please pray for all the residents who are mostly poverty stricken African Americans. They may not have much in Cairo, but having a little is always better than not having anything. Please pray for the citizens of Cairo.
Comment by Cairo Native Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 2:31 pm
I am not African American but I have a lot of friends both white and black who live in Cairo. Who cares about race or the color of your skin. A place they have called home is possible going to be destroyed. I feel so sad for the people who live south of Birds point. But in 1927 the land owners where giving compensation so the area could be used. The people in Mo knew that this land can be flooded. I know Cairo is not much but it all the people who live there have. Should we let Chicago flood? Lets pray for all the people in Cairo and Mo. Let forget about the Color of skin for once and all help anyway we can.
Comment by Bob Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 2:53 pm
I cant believe some of the comments on here. I live in Mo and I am sorry about what is going on I agree if these farmers were already compensated or not this is a town of human lives where is the humanity in our country. Then to those who are saying things like charge them $500 to come in to our state excuse me I live here dont believe in this law suit did not vote in to office who is in office now but that doesnt matter right!!! Because since there is a group doing this action we are all to be blamed well sorry charge us then I will vote to make sure we charge you. Ignorance is not bliss dummy. To the town of Cairo I am sorry about this situation my family is being evacuated now down here in southern Mo so I know the devastation coming your way keep your heads high because we can all make it through this!!!
Comment by Wow u got to be kidding Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 3:06 pm
If they blow the levee, they should add some flair, and make a show out of it, and then put it on pay per view and the proceeds can be used to reimburse the farmers.
Comment by Anon Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 3:11 pm
Save Shemwells BBQ Let the rest of cairo wash away to the gulf…..
Comment by way south of chicago Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 3:59 pm
We just had another Tornado Warning down here at SIUC. I think this makes five or six in the last week?
Nothing came of it this time. That said our deferred maintenance bill that’s somewhere around $450 million is evident. We have water coming in most of the buildings. The basement we have here at the Institute actually started flooding this evening.
That capital bill couldn’t come fast enough.
Comment by Barton Lorimor Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 5:31 pm
So there are 2,800 people there and over 3,100 registered voters. Fascinating. I’ll pray for the families there. The poor who have little probably don’t have any insurance either. We should all keep them in our prayers, regardless of how pretty or ugly we think their town is.
Comment by Amuzing Myself Wednesday, Apr 27, 11 @ 5:36 pm
Let’s blow the levee,, let’s blow every levee, if that’s what it takes save Cairo.
Those are our people there.
Savvy?
God bless you, folks. One way or another, we’ll be there for you til the last dog dies.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Apr 28, 11 @ 1:12 am
This situation is bad for everyone involved. It’s so easy to say flood Cairo, when it’s not your home or the home of your family! Where is the empathy for both sides?! Times such as this should bring us together not divide us - SMH…
Comment by Cairo Love Thursday, Apr 28, 11 @ 2:02 am
I am really embarrassed to be from Missouri right now. The flood spillway rights were paid for by the government many years ago, just for this purpose. Those who lived and farmed there then, knew the consequences that would occur if the river ever got high enough. Those who live and farm there now also know the consequences. It happened in 1937. It floods on Black Island every year, but the land there is fabulous because of the silt that is left there after the floods. The people who live there and farm there are from old money and have lots of power. They want to renege on the lease they (or their families were paid for. Those families should accept the responsibilities for paying for the burials of all those who die because of the floods and pay to rebuild the homes of those who survive. I agree that Illinois, or the Corps of engineers, should sue the govenor of Missouri and JoAnn Emerson for the right breach the levee. Take it quickly to the Supreme Court of the United States. And speaker Tilley should resign and never run for any kind of public office again. Again, I am sorry to those who will be displaced or killed because of some rich people and a state government that thinks that reneging on an agreement made so long ago and allowing so many others to die and have a whole city obliterated from this earth for some crops that they would be reimbursed for(actually, already paid for years ago). Those who built mansions there and/or stayed there after they were paid by the government for the spillway rights made a huge mistake. They knew what they were doing. They should never have stayed there. They should never have continue to build there. I don’t live in Cairo. I do live in Missouri. My family farms. We have great land up on Black Island. Floods pretty much every year. But we have great crops from it. My community may or may not benefit from breaching the levee. It has been said it won’t. Our seawall may not be high enough or strong enough. I would hope that the decrease in the pressure would help some. Despite that it may not, it would help Cairo. Come on, Nixon, Emerson and Tilley. Look at the big picture. Look at history. Let what needs to be done be done.
Comment by bwm81 Thursday, Apr 28, 11 @ 8:59 pm