Flash Flood Watch issued in anticipation of Illinois levee failures
The National Weather Service in Paducah has issued a Flash Flood Watch for Jackson, Union, and Alexander counties in Illinois, to advise of potential levee problems. We really don't want to see this upgraded to a Flash Flood Warning.
Here's the text of the watch:
AT 7 PM...THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED POTENTIALLY SERIOUS PROBLEMS ALONG PORTIONS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER LEVEE SYSTEM. WATER IS OVERTOPPING A LEVEE IN ALEXANDER COUNTY SOUTH OF THEBES. IN JACKSON COUNTY...A PORTION OF A LEVEE NEAR GRAND TOWER IS IN DANGER OF FAILING. THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WILL CONTINUE TO SLOWLY RISE TONIGHT AND EARLY SATURDAY...THEN HOLD NEARLY STEADY SATURDAY NIGHT.
* HEED THE EVACUATION ADVICE OF LOCAL OFFICIALS. ANY LEVEE FAILURES WILL CAUSE SUDDEN AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY FLASH FLOODING.
WSIL Channel 3 is reporting that Grand Tower is evacuating, not just because of the Mississippi River, but because the levee along the Big Muddy River is threatening to fail.
The Big Muddy River is poised to crest this weekend at 37 ft. on the Murphysboro gage, or 3.5 ft. below the record. (Note: The record line shown in the graph below hasn't been updated to reflect the current record of 40.47 ft. set during the 2011 floods).
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