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photo by Marcus Frazier
Benny Delaune loads sandbags as Pete Dulaune shovels Tuesday afternoon at their hunting camp near the St. Catherine Creek Wildlife Refuge.
Residents cope with rising waters
Published Tuesday, April 8, 2008
NATCHEZ — While several hunting camps lining the Mississippi have already fallen victim to the rising river, one man is making a last ditch effort to kept the river from his camp.
Armed with 24 yards of sand and 3,000 bags, Pete Delaune, of Gonzales, took a day off of work to line his camp with sandbags.
“We want to keep the water out,” he said.
Delaune’s camp, near the St. Catherine Creek Wildlife Refuge, is within feet of the floodwaters.
Over the weekend Delaune cleared out the shed, a few yards away from the camp itself, in the event it went under water.
On Tuesday the water had already begun to touch the bottom of the shed.
Delaune said he has never seen the water as high as it is now since he purchased the camp in 2000.
Based on crest projections, Delaune said he expects water the will cover the floor of his camp, hopefully not more.
But for residents who actually live near Delaune’s camp, on Bourke Road, the rising water is just part of life.
Delaune’s camp is practically in Gina Cauthen’s backyard.
Cauthen, who has lived on Bourke Road for 18 years, said rising water is a part of life on Bourke Road.
“We can’t really do anything about it,” she said.
Cauthen said the last time she witnessed such high water was in 1997.
Turning off Cloverdale Road on to Bourke Road, the road makes a continuous descent next to the wild life refuge.
On both sides off the dirt road floodwaters are creeping ever closer to the road’s surface.
Cauthen said in 1997, when the road was completely covered by water, her family was forced to traverse the road by boat.
And Cauthen’s not the only resident with boat commuting experience in the area.
Carl Dunn has lived on Bourke Road since 1973.
Dunn said if the river’s crest follows expectations, the road will be covered by water.
Dunn said in 1973 the water was so high it easily covered the hood of a pickup truck.
“We went by boat for six weeks,” he said.
But Dunn said the rising water does not concern him, he already has a boat on standby.
Adams County Civil Defense director Stan Owens said if the current projections for the river’s crest are correct, the road will likely be underwater.
“People living in that area should leave before then,” he said.
Comments
Posted by Swapmeet (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 6:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If anybody is interested, check out these links. The first two are videos from the weather channel. They will have a short advertisement first. The first video is the rain forecast, and the second one is an interview with the Vicksburg fire chief. The last two links are radars out of Little Rock and Memphis. Just use the arrows at the top left to navigate to other doppler sites. They are getting some massive rain in Arkansas as of 6:30 a.m., and the Arkansas and White Rivers, which are already flooding, flow right into the Mississippi. I'm afraid that the after the river crests, it is not going to fall much before it starts rising again. They are forecasting a ton of rain through Fri-Sat.
http://www.weather.com/multimedia/videop...
http://www.weather.com/multimedia/videop...
http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?produ...
http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?produ...
Posted by jcb96 (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 8:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Weather here in Arkansas has been horrible - there's plenty more rain due to be dumped tomorrow I'm afraid. We may all be under water before too long.
Posted by natchez500 (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 8:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
spring thaw has not started be aware folks lots of water still on the way I donot like the way the levee is cut away south of town in the ND picture and great pictures ND how did you get them
Posted by Sexy (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 8:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am afraid for me and my family
Posted by obamayamama (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 9 a.m. (Suggest removal)
IF you all know this, then why isn't the Corps of Engineers changing the crest levels? People should be aware NOW that the river is going to rise higher than predicted.
Posted by obamayamama (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 9:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My prediction is that the river may crest at 55.5 ft in Natchez. Then it may fall slightly, then the real flood will come. All of the precipitation coming from upstream has to go somewhere. The snow has barely melted, and these slow moving storms drop a lot of rain.
Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
Thank you, did I tell anyone that I was the Meteorogolist for TV48 "TV 48, from all of us to all of you, your channel by the river, we're all for you"
Posted by Swapmeet (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 9:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree obamayamamma. That's why I keep posting these weather links and radars. I feel too that the river is going to crest and then fall slightly and then start rising again because of all the rain today and the snow melt.
Posted by natchez500 (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 9:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I THINK WE WILL BREAK A RECORD IN MAY OF 58 FEET AND THIS MONTH IT WILL GO TO 56.5 OR 57 WAY TOO MUCH WATER
Posted by Swapmeet (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 11:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I just heard from someone that they changed the crest to 57 feet on the 18th. May be a rumor but if it is true, it is going to be bad because I don't even think they are taking the 3-6 inches of rain that Ark/Missouri/Tenn/Illinois is getting through Friday.
Posted by Scooter (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 1:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
NWS forecast still shows 55.5 on the 15th.
Posted by Swapmeet (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 1:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I checked that too Scooter. I don't know where this person got their info, but I don't know why anyone would make that up. You've got to think it will go up with all the current rain.
Posted by natchez500 (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 1:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
what about the cows south of town does anyone know I was told the owner had a chance to get them out and didnot I am also told it is no way to get them out now no way to get to them on a barge either
Posted by andy (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 1:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i looked under the hill today high high and fast
Posted by Swapmeet (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 1:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I heard somebody say that the current was 7-10 miles per hour. Does that sound right? I wouldn't know.
Posted by obamayamama (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 1:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I heard it to be ~ 13 mph. The barges are about to stop bc they can't navagate through areas (such as under the bridge).
Posted by Swapmeet (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 2:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That is unreal. I was amazed when I went down Roth Hill Rd. and saw it up close. You couldn't get me in that water on a barge to save your life.
Posted by bear45 (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 2:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What about the rain that is forecasted for this weekend? Where is all of this water going to go? I for one see the crest at 57 or 58 feet before long.....
Posted by itsawounderfullife (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 2:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I asked a captin of a barge what it was like navagating a barge on the river, he said it was like trying to drive a car on ice. Scarry!!
Posted by Sexy (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 2:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Do any one think that the water will come down here in Ferriday?
Posted by brod (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 6:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
natchez500... I was told today that nothing had been done about the cows. The man that owns them had more than one opportunity to get them out. He was offered help and he replied that he'd ride it out. Too late for those poor animals now. He got his pigs out though. Charges should be brought against him for neglect and animal cruelty.
Posted by Swapmeet (anonymous) on April 9, 2008 at 9:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I went down and saw the water at Fort Adams today. It is over highway 24 there where the state maintenance ends.
Posted by bear45 (anonymous) on April 10, 2008 at 4:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We rode to look at the water at Anna's Bottom and the farmers there are going to really suffer. It is a sight to see tho. The road to the left as you get to the bottom, the water is over the road a little ways down it. No way to get to Thornburg road is shut off and on further down the road to the right when you look all you see is fields of water, it is just an amazing site to see.....
Posted by rattlesnake (anonymous) on April 10, 2008 at 5:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
the river reached 57 or a few 10ths above 57 in 1973 i fear with the rain up north and the thawing it may get a little higher
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on April 10, 2008 at 8:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My advice to Sexy and others in her situation - don't just sit there being scared. Make a plan to get out if necessary. Water has come into Ferriday in the past, and may in the future. Only God knows and he ain't tellin". The picture in the ND is the end of the Riverwalk, and yes the levee drops off. It was coming into the end of the RV park day before yesterday, but that appears to be a LOT farther up than that. There is no levee between the end of the walk and the grain elevator, but I don't know beyond that.
Posted by notfromnatchez (anonymous) on April 10, 2008 at 10:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I can't wait to see the river this Saturday. I hear it is a sight to see.
Posted by jack (anonymous) on April 10, 2008 at 2:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
look out folks its rising higher than ever in May
Posted by Hardcorps (anonymous) on April 10, 2008 at 5:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My garden was doing really good until the white perch ate all my butterbeans. Now I got conebrade and no beans. Lease I gots conebrade. ha ha
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