Gov. Nixon surveys damage in the floodway

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon looks over a map with Dennis Abernathy of the U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at the south end of the first breach point in the Birds Point levee. (Laura Simon)

Erosion from the floodwater of the breached Birds Point levee spreads across farmland Wednesday, July 13, 2011 in Mississippi County. (Laura Simon)

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, left, Col. Wendul Hagler, center, and Missouri State Parks Director Bill Bryan survey the damage from the first breach in the Birds Point levee Wednesday, July 13, 2011 in Mississippi County. Gov. Nixon surveyed the damage in the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway Wednesday. (Laura Simon)

Visitors look out over the first breach in the Birds Point levee Wednesday, July 13, 2011 in Mississippi County. (Laura Simon)

Construction crews work to repair damage to the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at the scene of the first breach in the Birds Point levee in Mississippi County. (Laura Simon)

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, left, Col. Wendul Hagler, center, and Missouri State Parks Director Bill Bryan survey the damage from the first breach in the Birds Point levee Wednesday, July 13, 2011 in Mississippi County. Gov. Nixon surveyed the damage in the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway Wednesday. (Laura Simon)

Dry top soil borders soybean sprouts in the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway Wednesday, July 13, 2011 in Mississippi County. (Laura Simon)

People pale in comparison to the hole left by the second breach of the Birds Point levee Wednesday, July 13, 2011. (Laura Simon)

Missouri State Parks Director Bill Bryan, center, listens as Gov. Jay Nixon speaks with local farmers and engineers Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at the first breach in the Birds Point levee. (Laura Simon)

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, seated front passenger side, surveys the damage at the second breach site of the Birds Point levee Wednesday, July 13, 2011 near Big Oak Tree State Park in Mississippi County. (Laura Simon)

Farm workers work their way through a soybean field Wednesday, July 13, 2011 in the Birds Point-New Madrid floodway near Wyatt, Mo. (Laura Simon)

Story Farm in the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway was affected by the intentional breach of the Birds Point levee. (Laura Simon)

Missouri State Parks Director Bill Bryan, right, listens as Gov. Jay Nixon speaks at Big Oak Tree State Park Wednesday, July 13, 2011 after touring the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway. (Laura Simon)

Col. Wendul Hagler surveys the damage from the second breach point in the Birds Point levee Wednesday, July 13, 2011. (Laura Simon)

Story Farm in the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway was affected by the intentional breach of the Birds Point levee. (Laura Simon)

The south point of the first breach of the Birds Point levee Wednesday, July 13, 2011 in Mississippi County. (Laura Simon)

Mississippi County farmer Elott Raffety surveys the damage at the second breach site of the Birds Point levee Wednesday, July 13, 2011 near Big Oak Tree State Park. (Laura Simon)

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, left, Col. Wendul Hagler, center, and Missouri State Parks Director Bill Bryan survey the damage from the first breach in the Birds Point levee Wednesday, July 13, 2011 in Mississippi County. Gov. Nixon surveyed the damage in the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway Wednesday. (Laura Simon)