Flooding could approach or surpass '93 levels

Tell us this isn’t happening again.
Forecasts predict the Mississippi River may come close to topping historic levels from 1993.
In Saverton, it could set a record.
Flood-fighters remained vigilant Friday, even as the murky water inched closer to homes and climbed up the banks of area levees.
“It’s going to be a fish bowl before long,” said Bill Philpott of LaGrange, which has no flood protection. “There ain’t nothing you can do.”
“I’m worried,” said Patty Wekely, who lives within sight of the Canton levee. “If it doesn’t hold, we’ll have to evacuate.”
“You never know whether you can keep it back or not,” said Marion Stewart, a pump operator in the South River Drainage District north of Hannibal.
“Good Lord willing, what we’re doing will protect us,” said John Hark, Hannibal’s emergency management director.
Hannibal and Canton added to the tops of their levees and other communities filled a mountain of sandbags.
Agencies such as the American Red Cross and Salvation Army provided comfort to flood victims and volunteers.
There are no mandatory evacuations in the Hannibal region, but some communities are suggesting people leave voluntarily.
Here is the latest on the battle against the river:

Historic crests?
The latest flood forecasts are dire.
By next Friday, the river may be approaching or topping 1993 levels.
Gregory Landing: 27.8. Record is 28.5.
Canton: 27.4. Record is 27.9.
Quincy: 32.1. Record is 32.1.
Hannibal: 31.7. Record is 31.8.
Saverton: 30.3. Record is 29.6.
Louisiana: 28.3. Record is 28.4.
Clarksville: 37.1. Record is 37.5.
Winfield: 37.5. Record is 39.6.

Alexandria
U.S. 61 is closed because of flooding from the Des Moines and Mississippi rivers.
The levee district is putting sandbags across the road. A barricade on the Iowa side keeps motorists from driving over the Des Moines River bridge.
Some residents are leaving, but most are staying put for now.
Volunteers are needed, and should report to the Alexandria Community Center.

Canton
Volunteers are confident the town’s levee will hold.
They’ll spend the weekend putting batter board and sandbags atop the three-mile earthen structure.
“We should be in good shape, especially with the two feet we’re adding to the levee,” said Mayor Joe Clark.
Dozens of people helped in any way they could.
“We beat it in ‘93 and we’ll beat it in ‘08,” said volunteer Mike Bringer. “You’ve got to remain optimistic.”
People who want to help should report to the old grocery store lot at Sixth and Lewis. Sandbagging is being done at Fourth and Henderson.

LaGrange
Sandbags have gone up around the back of Grandma’s Cupboard convenience store along North Main.
“We’ve had a lot of volunteers and a lot of help,” said owner Penny White.
Some residents continued to move out, while others were determined to stay.
Town & Country Bank of Missouri relocated its offices to the council chambers of City Hall just down the street.
“The Lord has a plan,” White said. “We just don’t know what it is.”

Quincy
U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin visited sandbagging efforts Friday at the Oakley-Lindsay Center.
“Sometimes, the worst of Mother Nature brings out the best in our people,” Durbin said.
Illinois State Sen. John Sullivan urged people on both sides of the river to volunteer.
“Our time is limited,” Sullivan said. “We have to fight this disaster now. Now is the time you can make a difference.”
Quincy Mayor John Spring said many of the sandbags filled at the civic center were to be used to keep the city’s water treatment plant operational, but that bags would be available for area communities.
“That river doesn’t divide us, it brings us together,” Spring said. “We’ll go until the last sandbag is filled.”
George Anthony and his wife, Ona, and their four sons ages four to 12, responded to the call.
“If there’s a need, I like to get out and help any way I can,” Anthony said. “If we don’t do it, who will?”
Gov. Rod Blagojevich visited the sandbag site Friday afternoon, and said he’s asking President George Bush to declare a disaster area for many Illinois counties along the Mississippi.

South River
When it comes to pushing back the river, experience can’t be beat.
Or at least this time, volunteers in the South River Drainage District just north of Hannibal hope it can’t.
Bleigh Construction Co. sent about 50 workers Friday to help with sandbagging and levee-raising.
“Everybody here has lost this battle before,” said Dave Marquart, who was overseeing crews. “We’re hoping for the best and shooting for the top.”

Hannibal
The city got help Friday from some people who were born after the Great Flood of ‘93.
Students from Hannibal Middle School’s summer program seemed to boost the spirits of seasoned flood-fighters.
“There’s people that say their houses are getting flooded,” said Erin LaForce, 12. “Some are people we know.”
“I think it’s fun to help others,” said Keilynn Sanders, 11. “I have a lot of people in my family who have gone through floods.”
Jocelyn Akridge liked the idea of helping, but wasn’t sure she liked the huge, grimy mound of sand on which she sat.
“It’s not fun to get dirty,” said Akridge, 12. “Well, it is, but not when you’re wearing white.”
Twelve-year-old Shadowlynne Davis played upon guilty consciences.
“If your house was flooded, everybody else would help you,” she said.
Hark said the city will keep up its efforts as long as needed.
“We’re taking every action we can possibly think of,” he said. “We’re dedicated to making this work.”

Louisiana
Police went door-to-door Friday at about 100 businesses and homes warning people of the flood risk.
Evacuation is voluntary. At least one business, a convenience store on the south side of town, has closed temporarily.
The city has put in a floodwall at its sewer plant and its drinking water intakes are in good shape.
The Elks Lodge will be used as a shelter for flood victims who are hungry or need a place to stay.
For now, Delaware Street is the only one covered by water.
“I feel we’ve taken every precaution we know to take,” said Mayor Don Giltner.

Clarksville
Jennifer Dixon has lived in Clarksville all of nine months, but she’s already adopted the determined flood-fighting spirit of her neighors.
Dixon and family members helped build a makeshift sandbag levee along Front Street in the downtown historic district. The barrier cuts through the yard of Dixon’s home.
“It would be a shame if we didn’t protect it,” she said. “It’s my home. This is my town.”
Dixon’s son, Paul, drove up from Chesterfield with other strong-backed helpers.
“Our biggest problem is we’re not getting enough volunteers,” he said. “We’re seeing if we can get people ramped up.”
Another problem is a lack of sand.
“The trucks are rolling all the time,“ said Mayor JoAnne Smiley. “We can’t get the sand here fast enough.”

Roads, rails, bridges
Quincy’s Memorial Bridge is to close at 8 a.m. Sunday.
Eastbound traffic on U.S. 24 will be diverted to the Bayview Bridge.
Lanes may be reduced this weekend on the approach to the U.S. 136 bridge connecting Hamilton, Ill., and Keokuk, Iowa.
Crews were working Friday to keep floodwaters off the roadway.
The Illinois approach to the Champ Clark Bridge at Louisiana may be closed tomorrow.
Following are reports on area roads:
*Route B south of LaGrange could close today.
*Mo. 79 near Ilasco could close today.
*Mo. 79 south of Louisiana could close today.
*Mo. 79 south of Clarksville could close tonight or early Sunday.
*Ill. 57 at Marblehead could close this weekend.
Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe have tracks out because of flooding. Trains can’t run along parts of lines from Clarksville to Canton.
Amtrak’s California Zephyr is being affected by flooding at Ottumwa, Iowa. The route was temporarily closed Friday, and detours weren’t possible because of high water covering other routes.
Keokuk Junction Railway has shut down mainline operations along 38 miles of track from Keokuk to cities in western Illinois.

Lock closures
Locks along the river closed Thursday in Canton and Friday at Quincy and Saverton.
The facilities at Keokuk and Clarksville will shut down today, and the lock at Winfield is slated to close Sunday.