Print this story | E-mail story | This story has 25 comments Add your own | iPod friendly
River level nearing flood stage
Published Thursday, March 20, 2008
VIDALIA — With the water level of the Mississippi River standing at 44.96 feet Wednesday afternoon, the river is less than four feet from flood stage.
Flood stage for the river at the Natchez-Vidalia pass is 48 feet above gage zero, and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers is forecasting that the river will continue to rise to 45.20 feet today.
If the river does reach flood stage, the Concordia Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness will begin to watch the levees for any sign of weakness, Emergency Preparedness Director Morris White said.
Photo by Marcus Frazier
The Mississippi River is now at 44.96 feet, less than four feet from flood level.
Until then, however, the normal procedure is for the levee board to determine the weak spots in the level and to watch out for any damage or break-offs that might have occurred, White said.
“If the river reached flood stage, we would watch for any sand boils or those little run-off ditches that might form on the levee,” White said.
Emergency preparedness is watching the water levels, but until it actually hits flood stage they will not initiate any emergency procedures, White said.
As the water inches its way up the banks of the river, some residents might worry about what might happen to the development on the Vidalia riverfront.
The buildings and new construction on the riverfront are well above the flood stage, Riverfront Administrator H.L. Irvin said.
“We are at the 500-year flood level,” Irvin said. “We had to build at that level to get the grants to build the convention center.”
That means that — on average — floodwaters are likely to rise to the convention center’s elevation only every 500 years.
According to corps of engineers, the historic average water level for this time of year is 36 feet above gage zero.
Gage zero is 17.28 feet above the riverbed, which means that the river was actually 62.04 feet deep at its deepest Thursday afternoon.
The highest recorded level the river has ever reached was 58.04 feet on Feb. 2, 1937.
Comments
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on March 20, 2008 at 12:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What would be the river gauge reading if we had a 500 year event?
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 12:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm just glad that we are on the bluff!
Posted by josey (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 12:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I remember growing up with the levee in my back yard how scary it was to think of it breaking. I also remember one year there was a small break/crack/boil(not sure what you would call it) in the levee just down the road from my house. We could see the water shooting out of the bottom of the levee. Very scary when your a kid!!!!
Posted by NtzMom55 (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 12:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Was this area settled in 1508? I hope not cause we don't need another 500 year flood.
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on March 20, 2008 at 7:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
When was the last 500 year flood?
Posted by Let_us_think (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 7:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hate to be the pessimist but the story in the New York Times this morning is how 12 inches of rain got dumped in the last couple of days across the entire midwest and Ohio River valley. Everything's flooded up there, and it all comes down here.
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 7:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
RUN FOR THE HILLS!!!
uh oh
Posted by highstepper (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 8:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Gage zero refers to the gage height above sea level, not height above the riverbed. When you see 17.28 NGVD on the various Corps websites, it means that the sea level reference reading was the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1927.
That means the river was 62.04 feet above sea level, not 62.04 feet deep.
Sounds like your source is confused.
Posted by ghost (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 8:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
um i just read a report that the river is going to reach 53+ feet........
Posted by tcauthen (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 9:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
alright! back water riding!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on March 20, 2008 at 9:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I used to do some back water riding when I was in a camp/club south of town.
I have put in at the Homochitto Bridge on 61 South and motored to Buck Island. From Buck Island, we went to Lake Mary, out the north end of Lake Mary upto the mouth of the Homochitto River and on to the bridge. I figured that was about a 50+ mile run.
Posted by overthehill60 (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 10:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think it was in 1973 that the levee had a leak. The levee was suppose to be reinforced to be stronger. Of course the public was not made aware of the leak until after the repair.
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 10:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
with those 12 inch rains in Cape Girardeau, MO; and the whole region of SE MO and SO IL having the same rain levels,
we really could be in for an historic river level this year
I pray nothing happens to Vidalia!!
The Army Corp of Engineers needs to make a forecast for next week, because all that water, along with ice melt from further north is headed our way!!!
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 10:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
http://www2.mvr.usace.army.mil/WaterCont...
the above is a webpage that I monitor for our river gauge reading
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 10:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
dang corp of engineers
their river gauge webpage has not been updated today
but this year's stage is 10 ft higher than last year
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 10:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
wow Gary, that was quite a boat ride
I go out in Butler's lake time to time and have thought of canoeing Homochitto
BUT NOT NOW!! I'll wait a while and let the river drop down
This past Jan I tried to go out in Butler L., the river was up to about 36 ft and the current was really whipping through the lake, I didn't realize that the St Cath NWR closes that lake when the river hits 30ft. Anyway, I got spooked and headed back to the house.
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on March 20, 2008 at 10:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Here is another page to monitor the river levels: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lmrfc/forecast/r...
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 10:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Gary-- How long did that trip take??
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 11:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
good gried, the river stage at Cape Girardeau, MO went up 4 ft in one day!!!!
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on March 20, 2008 at 11:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Without giving away to many secrets, it took about 8 hours since we stopped at Buck Island for burgers and dogs on the grill. Side trips, goat ropings, etc added to the time of the trip.
Posted by coacht (T.BOB KIRK) on March 20, 2008 at 11:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
THEY BETTER REVISE THAT LEVEL WITH ALL THE FLOODING GOING ON IN MISSOURI
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on March 20, 2008 at 11:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Look at the Cairo reading(s) and that is about what Natchez gauge will read in about 14 days. Not always true, but it is a good rule of thumb.
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 12:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
(Gemcull) Thanks for the assistance and updates!
Posted by ghost (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 4:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080320/ap_o...
check it out!
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on March 24, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
wow, good luck to Vidalia.
Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)
(Requires free registration.)