Management of the river creates pros and cons

The massive Mississippi River and its tributaries have poured five major floods into the Cape Girardeau area in the past 15 years. Three have occurred since 2011.

Most recently, on New Year's Day, the river crested at a record 48.8 feet at Cape Girardeau, more than 16 feet above flood stage. That followed immense flooding along the Meramec River in the St. Louis area that swamped highways, homes and businesses.

The latest flooding has sparked criticism from those who argue floodplains have been paved and rivers walled off with levees that have led to ever-rising flood levels that will only get worse with more development along the river and its tributaries.

Washington University geology professor Bob Criss said the frequency and severity of major flooding is largely the result of bad river management.

"I have said for a long time that the flooding is getting worse. The water is many feet higher than we have ever seen before," he said.

Floodwall and buyouts

But Cape Girardeau officials and Cape Girardeau County's stormwater manager insist the levee system has protected property, and past buyouts of homes and businesses in flood-prone areas have lessened the damage.

After serious flooding in 1993 and 1995, federal buyouts became a reality locally. Over several years, about 130 buildings in the city, including homes and businesses, were demolished as a result of federal buyouts that moved people out of the floodplain.

Mayor Harry Rediger said, "It has been a success story. I couldn't be more proud of our city."

Despite the record crest, downtown Cape Girardeau stayed dry because of its concrete floodwall. Areas of the city north and south of the floodwall experienced flooding, however. In all, about 40 homes, businesses and churches suffered flood damage in the Red Star neighborhood and in the Meadowbrook area along South Kingshighway.

About half were heavily damaged, said Anna Kangas, building and code enforcement manager for the city. Last week, the city began inspecting the flood-damaged structures.

City officials said some of those structures may qualify for flood buyouts, although they say it's too soon to tell. Rediger favors removing more structures from the floodplain, noting the city is "better off" when structures aren't in the path of floodwaters.

Rediger said construction of a concrete channel along Kingshighway and a drainage basin that holds back stormwater that flows into Cape LaCroix Creek protects the low-lying Town Plaza shopping area, which otherwise would be subject to flooding. Cape Girardeau also has replaced its wastewater treatment plant, putting the new plant along higher ground on Southern Expressway. The previous treatment plant was in the flood-prone south end of town.

Rediger said the city plans to move its trash transfer station to higher ground, too. The new transfer station on Southern Expressway is expected to open by April, the mayor said.

The recent flood not only affected structures in Cape Girardeau, but in the county. Ken Eftink, Cape Girardeau County's floodplain and stormwater manager, said the winter flood affected about 20 structures in the county, far less than envisioned when the river was forecast to crest at 50 feet.

High water also covered roadways, which limited or blocked access, Eftink said. In the Cedar Hills subdivision along Highway 177, residents had "no way to drive in or out" at the height of the most recent flood, he said.

In Dutchtown, nearly a dozen buyouts occurred last year. As a result, the recent flood caused far less damage in the low-lying community near the Diversion Channel, Eftink noted.

Flood maps

Criss, the geology professor, fears flooding only will get worse. He said increased development has removed trees and turned floodplains into parking lots, resulting in more and faster water runoff.

Federal flood maps don't reflect the current situation, he said. In addition, he said the increasing flood problems only will lead to more misguided efforts to control the water.

"It means some people will clamor for more levees and higher levees," Criss said.

Criss said one solution might be to install gates in levees that can be opened to allow floodwaters to flow into floodplains to lower the water levels during major floods.

Eftink, the county's floodplain and stormwater manager, said federal floodplain maps have improved. In 1980, they were simple, line maps, he said. Today, they show county roads and incorporate aerial photographs. "They are a lot better quality," he noted.

Floodplain maps for Cape Girardeau County were updated in 1988. There were a total of 20 maps, Eftink said. In 2011, the county received even more detailed maps, totaling 58 in all.

But updating maps nationwide on a timely basis is a daunting and costly task, Eftink said. Nationwide, about 30 percent of claims involve properties outside the designated floodplains. Even someone who doesn't live in a floodplain can buy flood insurance.

"You can buy flood insurance if you live in the desert or on Pikes Peak or anywhere in between," he said.

Congress established the federal flood insurance program in 1968 because of escalating costs to taxpayers for flood disaster relief. Anyone who lives in a floodplain and has a mortgage is required to have flood insurance.

Those who have flood insurance and suffer damage of 50 percent or more to their homes or businesses could be required to relocate or raise their structures at least a foot above the base flood level. Businesses also have a fourth option: Flood-proof their buildings by doing such things as constructing a concrete levee or earthen berm.

Federal help

Eftink said eligible property owners can receive $30,000 to help pay for such improvements to their homes or businesses. But Eftink said most people aren't aware of the program. He knows of only one person who has taken advantage of the program in Cape Girardeau County.

Greg Turnbow of Sikeston, Missouri, said he learned about the program from his insurance adjuster after the 2011 flood.

He took out a loan to pay the cost of elevating his fishing cabin near Whitewater last year. He was reimbursed through the federal program for his expenses. Without the federal funds, Turnbow said he likely would not have kept the fishing cabin.

The cabin now rests on concrete block walls, putting the structure about 10 feet above ground level, several feet above base flood level.

During the recent flood, his cabin at the private Horseshoe Bend Fishing Club remained dry despite his land, along the old Whitewater River channel, being covered with several feet of water.

"Without this, I would have had two feet of water in here," said Turnbow as he stood inside his cabin.

In the flood of 2011, Turnbow had more than three feet of water in his cabin, damaging everything from walls to floorboards and electrical wiring.

Since elevating his cabin, Turnbow has dropped his federal flood insurance. The insurance cost him about $800 a year. But he said the cost of flood insurance is rising.

Eftink said the government has increased and continues to increase premiums because the flood insurance program is losing money.

"It's about $22 billion in debt," he said.

Despite such debt, Eftink believes the flood insurance program and resulting floodplain regulations adopted by cities and counties have made a difference.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

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Why may a 100-year flood occur more often?

A 100-year flood is a misnomer.

It*'s more accurate to say a particular flood has a 1-in-100 chance of happening each year.

The higher the flood elevation, the less chance of a major flood event happening.

Source: Cape Girardeau County floodplain management office