NATCHEZ — The water is rising, and on Wednesday work crews at the Isle of Capri casino started filling sandbags in anticipation of water at flood-level and beyond.

The river is expected to stand at 44.9 feet this morning, and the National Weather Service’s Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center has projected the river will reach flood stage — 48 feet above gauge zero — sometime Monday morning.

While the workers are filling the sandbags, they’re not putting them in place yet, City Engineer David Gardner said.

“We’re doing this now just to stay ahead of the game,” Isle of Capri General Manager Tony Scudiero said. “We know that, from a cautionary standpoint, when the river reaches certain levels we are going to have to do some sandbagging.”

City officials and Isle of Capri management have arranged a meeting for this morning and may decide when to start stacking sandbags, Gardner said.

The river is expected to crest at 51 feet, and it is at 51 feet that the casino boat has to be moved from the Silver Street side of Natchez Under-the-Hill to the D.A. Biglane Street side, Scudiero said.

Casino officials have been watching the water level for the last week to determine if they will have to move the boat, he said.

“If we don’t hit (51 feet) it would be great, and if we do we are going to be prepared,” he said. “A foot can make all the difference in the world.”

In the meantime, the casino will continue to operate as normal, Scudiero said.

“We are open. We are not closed,” he said. “Don’t worry about us closing.”

At 50 feet, water begins to rise onto Silver Street, and at 52.5 feet Silver Street has to be closed.

At approximately 53.5 feet the water begins to affect sewer service Under-the-Hill, and at 54 feet the city closes D.A. Biglane Street.

During the 2008 high water event, the river reached a level of 56.97 feet, its second highest recorded crest ever.

Gauge zero at the Natchez-Vidalia pass is 17.28 feet, not taking into account the depth of the river bed, which puts the water level at flood stage at 65.28 feet above sea level.