By TIM GUERCIO

THE NATCHEZ DEMOCRAT

VIDALIA — The Mississippi River has been above flood stage of 48 feet at Natchez for more than 148 days, a record that is considerably longer than the previous record of 77 days set in 1927.

The flooding has caused problems up and down the Mississippi River, including locally where it has resulted in saturated land from ground seepage, and the high river levels make it difficult for riverboats to dock.

Naturally, people are curious about the record flood levels and venture out to look at it.

That is what Donterrius Poole, 20, of Ferriday was doing when The Dart landed on the Vidalia riverfront Thursday afternoon.

Thursday was Poole’s regular day off, he said, from his job as a roughneck on land-based oil drilling rigs.

Poole said he was spending his day off driving around looking at the flooding.

“I already saw Old River (Control Structure),” Poole said. “It is flooding, too.”

Poole said he has worked in the drilling business for about a year and would like to one day work in the offshore oil drilling industry, because it pays more and would give him more time off to enjoy his hobbies.

“I would want to work offshore and work 14 days on and seven days off,” Poole said. “I would have more time to go hunting with my three dogs, ride my horse, go fishing and play X-box.”

Meanwhile, Poole said, he is happy with his current job, and he will continue to keep his eye on the river that is projected to reach a crest of 59 feet on June 7 at Natchez, which would be the second-highest crest ever at Natchez, beating the current second-highest record of 58 feet set in 1937.

The highest-ever flood crest at Natchez was 61.95 feet set in 2011.