CITY BENEFITS FROM FLOOD-CONTROL WORK

Cape Girardeau's partially finished flood-control project was visible during Monday night and Tuesday's heavy rains.

No flooding occurred along Cape LaCroix Creek or Walker Branch, said Ken Eftink, city development services coordinator.

"We're really starting to see the benefit of this project now," Eftink said. "With the channel widened and the concrete wall and floors, water is passing through areas that used to flood."

More than $30 million is being spent to control flooding through the city along Cape LaCroix Creek and Walker Branch. Much of the work has been completed along Cape LaCroix while construction on concrete channels in Walker Branch continues.

Jerry Canady, meteorological technician with the Missouri Weather Co-op at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport, said moderate to heavy rain fell Tuesday morning.

The co-op measured 1.68 inches of rain at the airport between 6 a.m. and noon.

Water was reported over a number of roads in rural Cape and Bollinger counties Tuesday but there were no reports of damage.

Eftink recalled a similar rain of about 2 inches in June 1989, that closed several city streets: Route W east of Kingshighway, Mount Auburn Road at Kage Road, East Rodney at Arena Park and Hopper Road near Clippard School. He said Independence Street near Cape LaCroix Creek was flooded with water backed up in the K-mart parking lot.

"All that flooding from a relatively small amount of rain," Eftink said.

"The water seems to be flowing through those areas now," Eftink said. "There's a large volume of water passing through there and getting out of town without causing any damage."

Rob Janet, vice president of Auto Tire and Parts, said he would have been concerned about flood-prevention efforts in the past with the amount of rain that fell Tuesday.

"I didn't have to think about that," Janet said. "It sure was nice not to have to worry about it."

Auto Tire and Parts, 212 S. Kingshighway, is near the junction of Cape LaCroix Creek and Walker Branch.

In the past when water backed up near Kingshighway and Route W, Janet said water filled the channel farther south of his store. An employee came in Tuesday morning and said the water was up north of town, Janet said. That would have been cause for concern in the past, he said.

"Without the flood-control project, I would have to think that we would have seen the water a lot higher on Tuesday," Janet said.

Janet said the water was flowing rapidly through that area Tuesday. The water was down about 4 feet at 5 p.m. from its high point in the day, he said.

John Mehner, Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce president, said area motorists may mutter to themselves about the construction going on and the resulting traffic problems. "But if the project accomplishes what it's supposed to, it's well worth it," he said.

He said water that used to put Kingshighway under water is running away now.