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NATCHEZ — The Mississippi River at Natchez and Vidalia is projected to crest at 55.5 feet on Tuesday, April 29, seven and one-half feet above the local flood stage of 48 feet.

A slow recession is forecasted to start on May 1, according to data from the National Water Prediction Service.

As of Tuesday, the river was above flood stage at nearly 54 feet, causing some roads to flood in low-lying areas in Adams County, including Carthage Point, Anna’s Bottom, Thornburg roads, Adams County Emergency Management Director Robert Bradford said Tuesday.

Those roads will not be able to reopen until the river is back below flood stage and then the county may need to fix washouts before they become passable again, he said. But nothing can be done while they’re still flooded.

“We’re still watching it,” Bradford said. Traffic on Silver Street has been redirected to make the it a two-way street. That typically happens at around 57 to 58 feet, Bradford said, but the traffic was redirected by 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

“Now we wait to see how rain affects the river from the Ohio Valley. The Corps of Engineers and everyone is watching the river upstream and they are updating us every day.”

In Vidalia, the main effect as of Tuesday is seepage water, which is “more of a nuisance” than a threat, said Mayor Buz Craft.

“The seepage creates a breeding ground for mosquitoes and prevents residents from being able to mow their grass,” he said.

Resources are being lined up now to protect riverfront properties and businesses should the river level get high enough to cause them to flood, he said.

We’ve got Hesco baskets out now and we’re supposed to meet with the general of the Corps of Engineers this week or first of next week for updates,” Craft said. “We’re making sure we have all of our resources lined up on how we’re going to protect our riverfront if it comes to that.”

As of now, the crest of 55.5 feet should not cause riverfront property to flood opposite the levee, Craft said. However, with heavy rain up north and polar ice caps melting, the forecasted river level may change, and “we’ve got to be prepared to move pretty quickly” if that happens, he said.

“I start to get nervous when the river is at 58 or 59 feet,” he said. “But as of right now, we’re on top of it and we’re going to stay on top of it.”