Birds Point-New Madrid floodway

Mississippi County Sheriff Keith Moore walks towards land owners as they return to Highway 102 Monday, May 9, 2011 after checking on their property in the floodway in Mississippi County. (Laura Simon)

Neal Tinnon, left, and David Brewer return to Highway 102 Monday, May 9, 2011 after checking on Tinnon's Mississippi County property in the floodway. He took a pet carrier with him in hopes of finding "Shop Cat" and her kittens, but came back empty handed. (Laura Simon)

Floodwater covers the farmland in the Birds Point-New Madrid floodway Monday, May 9, 2011. (Laura Simon)

Land owners launch their boat from Highway 102 Monday, May 9, 2011 to check on their property in the floodway in Mississippi County. (Laura Simon)

A truck hauls away items from along the floodway in Mississippi County Monday, May 9, 2011. (Laura Simon)

Flooding along Highway 102 in Mississippi County Monday, May 9, 2011. (Laura Simon)

Neal Tinnon arrives back on Highway 102 Monday, May 9, 2011 after checking on his Mississippi County property in the floodway. He took a pet carrier with him in hopes of finding "Shop Cat" and her kittens, but came back empty handed. (Laura Simon)

Chris Byasse hands Eric Thomure a life jacket before setting off for his grandfather Claude Thomure's property Monday, May 9, 2011 in the Mississippi County floodway. (Laura Simon)

Land owners return to Highway 102 Monday, May 9, 2011 after checking on their property in the floodway in Mississippi County. (Laura Simon)

Land owners return to Highway 102 Monday, May 9, 2011 after checking on their property in the floodway in Mississippi County. (Laura Simon)

Trucks and boat trailers line up on Highway 102 in Mississippi County Monday, May 9, 2011 as land owners were allowed to check on their properties in the floodway. (Laura Simon)

Claude Thomure, his grandson Eric Thomure, and worker Chris Byasse set off along Highway 102 Monday, May 9, 2011 to check on Thomure's property in the Mississippi County floodway. (Laura Simon)

David Brewer arrives back on Highway 102 Monday, May 9, 2011 after checking on Mississippi County property in the floodway. (Laura Simon)

Floodwater covers the farmland in the Birds Point-New Madrid floodway Monday, May 9, 2011. (Laura Simon)

Wendell Choate, 92, waits along Highway 102 in Mississippi County Monday, May 9, 2011 for his family to return with word on his sweet corn farm that sits in the Birds Point-New Madrid floodway. (Laura Simon)

The Mississippi River is still high along U.S. 60/62 near Birds Point levee Monday, May 9, 2011. (Laura Simon)

Floodwater covers the farmland in the Birds Point-New Madrid floodway Monday, May 9, 2011. (Laura Simon)

People watch as land owners launch their boat in the floodway in Mississippi County Monday, May 9, 2011. (Laura Simon)

Land owners return to Highway 102 Monday, May 9, 2011 after checking on their property in the floodway in Mississippi County. (Laura Simon)

Floodwater is still pouring into the floodway from the breach in Birds Point levee Monday, May 9, 2011. (Laura Simon)