July 7, 2019

Floodwaters persist in McClure, Illinois.

McClure Illinois residents, though physically and mentally exhausted from fighting the still-creeping-upward floodwaters, remain diligent in their efforts and hopeful that another week of steady weather (and no rain) may bring the beginning of the floodwaters' slow recession. A ride-along with the sandbaggers and river-watchers of McClure:

A truck making its way through a long, flooded portion of road is seen from the Clear Creek pumping station Saturday, July 7, 2019, in McClure.

Mike Taylor, left, Brian Winans, center and Lewis Stevens discuss how different off-road vehicles fare in the floodwaters Saturday, July 6, 2019, in McClure.

Brian Winans displays a Waterworld-themed parody movie poster called "Southern Illinois" which depicts Kevin Costner in floodwaters on Evan Webb's phone while he and other sandbaggers relax in Brett Kelley's garage after putting in a day's work Saturday, July 6, 2019, in McClure.

Brian Winans of East Cape Girardeau, Illinois, readies himself to ride the wake of a truck crossing a flooded portion of road just east of the Emerson Bridge Saturday, July 6, 2019, in East Cape Girardeau, Illinois. Most days, Winans kayaks from his home across flooded fields to the small, impromptu parking lot on the road east of the bridge before driving his car, an old Ford Mustang, up the levee roads to neighboring McClure, Illinois, where much of his family and friends continue to sandbag homes almost daily as floodwaters are still rising. Winans, like most lifelong residents of McClure, says this is easily the worst flooding in living memory.

Brian Winans changes out of his boots, which he lines with plastic bags for extra insulation, Saturday, July 17, 2019, in East Cape Girardeau, Illinois.

McClure resident Evan Webb is seen on the flatbed of a commercial truck belonging to Mike Taylor Saturday, July 6, 2019, in McClure.

Charles Webb's flood gauge is seen near a waterlogged ear of corn Saturday, July 6, 2019, in McClure.

Charles Webb, left, talks with his son, Evan, far right, and Brian Winans after checking a flood gauge in one of his fields Saturday, July 6, 2019, in McClure. The most recent readings had measured about a half-inch daily rise, which Webb said was an improvement over the inch-a-day readings of a few days previously.

Water springs through a fissure in the floor of a shed belonging to Charles Webb Saturday, July 6, 2019, in McClure.

Rick Myers looks out across a flooded area from atop his ATV Saturday, July 6, 2019, in McClure.

Rick Myers waits for a truck to pass on a flooded stretch of road Saturday, July 6, 2019, in McClure. Myers said most people drive too fast through floodwaters and often leave wakes that can undermine levees around houses that would otherwise hold up. "Some people are courteous about it, but others of them, not so much," he said.

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McClure Illinois residents, though physically and mentally exhausted from fighting the still-creeping-upward floodwaters, remain diligent in their efforts and hopeful that another week of steady weather (and no rain) may bring the beginning of the floodwaters' slow recession. A ride-along with the sandbaggers and river-watchers of McClure:

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