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Gail Netterville uses an oar to push off her boat from the bank before traveling to her house on Old River Monday. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

Gail Netterville pushes her boat away from her house on Old River Monday. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

Gail Netterville's house on Old River. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

Gail Netterville steers her boat across to her house on Old River Monday. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

Gail Netterville sits on her porch below a painting of her house built on Old River. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

(Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

NATCHEZ — Gail Netterville has seen the floodwaters on Old River reach 60 feet. She swears she will not see it again.

In 2011, when the floodwaters crested at 60.95 feet the waters rose more than 3 feet into her house built on stilts.

“At 59 feet, I am going to have to move everything,” Netterville said. “I can take 60 feet, but I am not going to take the chance.”

The National Weather Service raised its forecast on Friday for the Mississippi River to crest at 58 feet on March 16.

At that level, Netterville said she and her husband plan to stay and watch the floodwaters from her house.

One of a handful of people living on Old River during the flooding, Netterville said she wishes that boat traffic along the waterway was suspended during the flooding.

For the last couple of days, people have been speeding up and down Old River causing waves that lap up onto her house and other properties.

“They are not doing anything but sightseeing,” Netterville said. “They are just gawking.”

The problem will increase as the floodwaters rise.

Concordia Parish Chief Deputy David Hedrick said he hadn’t heard about problems with speeding boaters. Deputies are conducting regular patrols in the area and keeping a close eye on properties in flooded areas in the parish, Hedrick said.

In the meantime, Netterville and her husband will try to wait out the flood and hope that the crest will not rise any higher than predicted.

“If it gets to 60 feet, we will move out our furniture. This time for good,” Nettervilles said.

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