The river is forecast to crest here in Vicksburg at 53.5 feet on May 18th. That is 2.5 feet higher than the level we saw in 2008, which had some disastrous effects in many local areas.
AmeriCorps volunteers will be conducting a door to door campaign to inform people in the most flood prone areas about the possibilities of flooding and will be delivering informational packets that contain an emergency plan that has been laid out by the City of Vicksburg.
Eagle Lake will be brought to 88 or 90 feet to alleviate some of the flooding along the river. The levels will affect boat ramps and piers but will not endanger any residential structures.
The flood gates are being closed at the Vicksburg Riverfront in anticipation of the rising water.
Dignitaries fielded questions from the media and the public which included questions about the closing of area casinos and other businesses that are in close proximity to the water; the possibility of flood gate closures in the Memphis and Cairo, Illinois areas not occurring; and what the contingency plans are for the Eagle Lake area.
Casinos and other businesses are evaluating their position and elevation and are making closure plans accordingly. We know of at least one area casino that has already made plans to suspend operations in the event of flooding, but have not been able to get an official response to our question.
It was also reported that one local manufacturing facility has given their employees a furlough notice in preparation for the flood waters. The company, who has not returned our calls, has told their employees that furloughs will begin as early as Tuesday.
Residents on Glass Road in the southern end of the county have been notified that they should take precautions and evacuate the area.
We heard from a source within a Memphis area public utility company who told us that there were questions about flood gates being able to be closed along the river in time for the flood. I spoke with Kavanaugh Breazeale with the USACE about the flood gate issues and he said that regardless of whether the gates were able to be closed or not, Vicksburg would be largely unaffected.
Sheriff Pace said that his department would be patrolling the Eagle Lake area and that deputies would be watching the rising waters. Most of those deputies have experience with flooding and have been trained in and informed of contingencies in case of heavy flooding. He said that the Mississippi Department of Transportation would be monitoring Highway 465 and would only close it if it became necessary.
Mayor Winfield stated that he chose the location of the press conference to provide a backdrop that would strengthen the message that he was delivering… that backdrop being the flood wall with lines marking each of our historic flood events. We have taken the time add a marker with the projected crest.
TV 23 produced a short informational video about the coming flood and have posted it on the City of Vicksburg’s website, but we felt obliged to include it inside this article.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS2i23Ua8zo[/youtube]
If you have any questions about the flood and how it may affect you, please call the City of Vicksburg’s Action Line at 601-636-3411.]]]]> ]]>
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