Corps: levees appear in good shape; coast guard arrives for assistance

A spokesman for the U.S. Corps of Engineers said Wednesday that levees are holding strong.

Many in the affected flood areas have expressed concerns about sand boils, but Jim Pogue, spokesman for the corps, said sand boils are a natural occurrence and actually help the levees by relieving some pressure. He said there are no immediate concerns about the levees' structure. Pogue said corps workers are monitoring the levees 24 hours a day.

The corps will be holding a news conference at 3 p.m. today at East Prairie to give an overview of the situation.

The decision to intentionally breach Birds Point near Cairo is a contentious one that will need to be made in the coming days as the river levels approaches a record crest at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Pogue said the decision on the levee remains in the corps' jurisdiction, and is not a decision influenced by state political pressure. Pogue said the decision will be based on what's the best interest for the river and the people and property the corps is charged to protect. A court hearing on the potential breach has been scheduled for Thursday morning, but a decision on the breach will not be made until the weekend. Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster sued the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Tuesday in an attempt to stop it from destroying the levee that protects valuable farmland. The levee was designed for a scenario where it could be breached and spilled into the farmland to protect other areas and communities along the river, including Cairo.

The U.S. Coast Guard has arrived in Sikeston and will help the corps with security and potential water rescue missions. The corps has set up an information post in Sikeston where it will collaborate with multiple agencies.