Return to Birds Point

U.S. Department of Agriculture Acting Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Michael Scuse, left, discusses the impact of the Birds Point levee breach on area farmland Friday, May 20, 2011. Scuse was on a two-day tour of flood damage in several states along the Mississippi River. (Melissa Miller)

An irrigation system sits in a wheat field in the Mississippi-New Madrid Spillway off Highway D. The land was covered by flood waters just a few days ago but was drying out Friday, May 20, 2011. (Melissa Miller)

The Birds Point levee drops off at this spot where the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers intentionally breached it May 2. The water along the levee has dropped about six feet as of Friday, May 20, 2011, since the levee breach. (Melissa Miller)

A bridge on Highway D in Mississippi County is covered with debris Friday, May 20, 2011. (Melissa Miller)

U.S. Department of Agriculture officials view the site of the first breach of the Birds Point Levee in Mississippi County Friday, May 20, 2011. (Melissa Miller)

A house sits off in the distance along Highway D in Mississippi County as flood waters continue to recede Friday, May 20, 2011. (Melissa Miller)

Highway D in Mississippi County is impassable May 20, 2011 as flood waters continue to cover the road. (Melissa Miller)

This church clearly shows how much the flood waters have gone down in this area of the Mississippi-New Madrid Spillway area off Highway D on Friday, May 20, 2011. (Melissa Miller)

The Birds Point levee drops off at this spot where the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers intentionally breached it May 2. The water along the levee has dropped about six feet as of Friday, May 20, 2011, since the levee breach. (Melissa Miller)