NATCHEZ &045; River watchers breathed a cautious sigh of relief Monday.

Though the water is still rising about six inches a day, forecasts from the National Weather Service lowered the predicted crest at Natchez from 53.5 to 52.5 and pushed it back several days to Jan. 31.

Though 52.5 would still be high enough to close Silver Street and move the Isle of Capri, City Engineer David Gardner said he’s hopeful Monday’s projection changes will repeat themselves today, further lowering the expected crest.

City leaders, Natchez police and Isle of Capri officials met Monday morning to discuss the river and decided to wait to move the boat south to D.A. Biglane Street, Gardner said.

&uot;We are going to hold off on requiring the boat to move until we know for sure what the river is going to do.&uot;

Monday’s river gauge was at 50 and it is predicted to reach 50.4 today.

&uot;They are kind of telling us that it may not go quite as high as they first predicted,&uot; Gardner said. &uot;We are going to watch it on a daily basis.&uot;

The officials will meet again on Wednesday to make a decision about the boat. If Silver Street and D.A. Biglane Street close the Isle of Capri will have to close also.

In 1997 the Lady Luck Casino had to close for two weeks, leaving 400 employees with unpaid leave.

&uot;Right now if the river holds true to the levels being projected, the boat will more than likely have to move,&uot; Gardner said. &uot;Silver Street is still in jeopardy.&uot;

The boat can still stay open from its dock on D.A. Biglane.

In Louisiana, the Fifth Louisiana Levee District closed all mainline Mississippi River levees to traffic. The fifth district includes Concordia, East Carroll, Madison and Tensas Parishes.

State highway, hard surfaced roads, on the levees will remain open.

Board President Reynold Minsky said the call to close the roads was due to an abnormally high amount of sand boils. A sand boil occurs when water under the levee pushes the sand out and creates weak spots in the levee.

Minsky said travel on top of the levees could further weaken them.

&uot;We’ve not had sand boils this bad at this stage,&uot; Minsky said. &uot;(The levees) are just like a bowl of jelly.&uot;

One sand boil, near Whitehall, has been identified in Concordia Parish. The Corps of Engineers will be working to sandbag it this morning.

Minsky said all local sheriffs’ departments have agreed to work with the board to enforce the closure. Those traveling on the levees will be ticketed.