NATCHEZ — In Adams County, the flood fight has slowed to a matter of watch and wait.

The Mississippi River at Natchez is expected be at 55.8 feet today — 7.8 feet above the flood stage of 48 feet — and has been projected to rise to 57 feet before cresting Sunday

City, county and emergency officials met Tuesday for an update on what moves, if any, should be taken as the flood fight approaches its apex, but the overwhelming consensus was, “everything is pretty much well,” Adams County Emergency Management Director Robert Bradford said.

At the base of the Natchez bluff, the business closest to the river — Magnolia Bluffs Casino — has been able to continue operations in the face of the rising river.

Casino President Kevin Preston said the casino facility itself was built at two feet higher than the record flood level — 61.95 feet in 2011 — and, while a portion of the casino’s parking garage has taken on water, operations haven’t been affected beyond having to block off that portion of the parking area.

“The parking garage is the lowest part of the property, and that should be as much water as is going in the garage,” Preston said.

The casino has also deployed 400 feet of aquadam — a bladder filled with water that acts as a levee against the rising river — from the edge of the casino to Roth Hill. The dams are being used to keep the water back from the roadway.

“The aquadam is cleaner and does just as good a job as the Hesco baskets along the road, and we are meeting with our engineers every day, sometimes twice a day,” Preston said.

Even though the casino has remained open, some have been reluctant to approach the low ground in the face of the river’s rise. Preston said he understands but the gaming campus is safe.

“People are cautious about coming down, and we want to make sure to communicate to everybody that what we are doing is from a precautionary standpoint, but if there was any risk we wouldn’t put anybody in jeopardy,” he said. “Everything is good and safe to come down.”

At Natchez Under-the-Hill, businesses also remain open even though D.A. Biglane Street has been closed because water crossed the street. Access to Under-the-Hill is allowed via Silver Street, which has been re-routed for two-way traffic, with parking on the street being restricted.

In Adams County outside the Natchez city limits, the roadway through Anna’s Bottom has also been closed. Adams County Supervisor Mike Lazarus said the road was added to the list of closed roads after the river covered the roadway over the weekend.

“There are no houses in that area, so it’s not a big deal,” Lazarus said. “The biggest problem we’ve had with this flood is people riding around sightseeing, going around gates at closed roads, and they need to quit that.”

While the river’s ascent has been rapid, the final few days will be a much slower creep upward, from 56.3 feet on Thursday to 56.7 Friday and 56.9 Saturday before reaching its expected crest Sunday.

Other areas on the Mississippi side of the river impacted by floodwaters have long since gone under.

Thornburg Lake Road in the northern end of Adams County — where some agricultural interests are located — starts to take on water at 43 feet, while at 44 feet areas around Lake Mary are inundated.

At 45 feet, some buildings in the Wilkinson County community of Fort Adams are impacted by the floodwaters. The Concordia Parish areas of Deer Park and Minorca are likewise affected by the high water prior to flood stage.

The former Belwood Country Club near the Natchez-Adams County Port takes on water at 47 feet. Carthage Point Road, which is near the Belwood property, is also flooded at that point.