FLOODGATE CARETAKER KEEPS VIGIL

Jess McLain spread knowing laughter over the phrase hurry up and wait.

It aptly described his job as a firefighter before he retired in 1980 and defines his job as a part-time Main Street Levee District keeper of the floodgates. There are three other keepers who work part time.

McLain makes sure storm-sewer runoff is pumped from a reservoir into the Mississippi when the gauge reads 14 feet. When the river reaches flood stage, 32 feet, he must watch the level doesn't exceed 36.2 feet at Themis Street.

The gate at Broadway is closed at 38.7 feet and the Frisco Railroad gate near William is closed at 47.7 feet.

"The river is at 33.56 feet right now and rising, so we'll probably close the Themis gate soon," McLain said Wednesday morning.

The official word came from Andy Juden later to close the floodgate at 5 p.m.

Juden, who presides over the levee district at Main and Merriwether, said forecasts for rain north of Cape Girardeau prompted him to close the gate. When it gets to 34 feet the gates are closed.

McLain's job becomes more important in the spring because of the onslaught of rain.

If he is asleep at his job, the place could flood and run onto Main Street. The reservoir stands 342 feet tall and is 10 feet wide outside the levee building. The reservoir is 40 feet wide and about 100 feet long inside the building, running under the floor where McLain stood.

When the river gauge goes above 29, city storm-sewer runoff water collects in the reservoir instead of flowing into the Mississippi. Once McLain reads 14 feet on the gauge, he activates one of three pumps. Two pumps submerged in the reservoir kick on automatically when the water reaches a certain level.

McLain has already activated one of the big pumps in the levee building once this month and must make sure debris doesn't keep the float on the pump from activating.

"That's why we lower this gate," McLain said, pointing to a gate that serves as a filter to collect debris between its bars. "It also keeps us from sending debris back into the river."

The three pumps are activated manually, "so you have to pay attention the whole time you're here to make sure the reservoir level hasn't reached the danger stage," McLain said.

"Firemen wait around a lot, but they have to be alert in case they are called," McLain, 77, said after turning down the volume on the black and white television in a snug corner of the levee station. "The same thing happens here. I guess it's a pretty simple job, but somebody has to make sure it's done right."

He has been doing this job on a part-time basis for 20 years. Those who work at the levee building part-time are also employed by the fire department.

The Main Street Levee Station has been open since May 1 when the river was at 30.2. "You can't wait for it to rain before you open the place up because sometimes it pours so hard and fast the reservoir can fill up in a hurry," he said.

McLain and his co-workers make periodic checks on the river stage by calling a number listed on the phone. "We call every three or four hours and then put it down here," he said.