Mississippi River continues surge toward crest at Cape

If the Mississippi River crests today at the level forecast, it will be the eighth-highest on record.

The rising river at Cape Girardeau reached 43.9 feet by Wednesday afternoon and is expected to crest near 45 feet today. The National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky., expects the waters to fall just above 42 feet by Monday, still in the major flood stage. Flood stage on the Cape Girardeau gauge is 32 feet.

The river already is above the highest crest during the 2008 floods.

Mike Petersen, spokesman for the St. Louis district of the Army Corps of Engineers, said flood fight teams have offered supplies and technical support where needed. Engineers and mapping and geotechnical workers comprise teams sent to the areas as they deal with crests. He said the greatest focus is in Cape Girardeau because of Thursday's crest.

Buyouts have minimized the effect of flooding on residential areas in Cape Girardeau, and the city is protected by a floodwall. But backwater flooding continued to threaten low-lying Dutchtown and Allenville.

The area also is expected to receive an average of 1 to 2 inches of rain through Friday morning, said National Weather Service forecaster David Humphrey.

Dutchtown clerk and emergency management coordinator Doyle Parmer said he has two pumps in the ditches along the closed intersection of highways 74 and 25 to pump rainfall. Highway 74 is covered by about a foot and a half of water at its low point. The sandbags add from 24 to 31 inches of barrier between the town and the waters. Parmer said at the flood's crest, the water still will be about two feet below the top of the barrier.

This is Parmer's last full-blown charge against a flood. He's out, stepping down as the clerk of Dutchtown.

"I've fought so many floods that I'm tired," he said.

He's launched crusades against the waters every time the river has threatened the town since 1995. Parmer said if Dutchtown floods in the future he'll collect flood insurance on three rental homes he owns there, demolish them and buy rental homes in Jackson. He also plans on raising goats. Residents are aware he's leaving because he's told them he was done the last two floods.

"I made myself a liar, but you gotta draw a line in the sand someday," he said.

No one else has stepped in to fill the position yet.

Though the water is rising steadily, Allenville remains accessible by vehicle via County Road 241 from 237 and Route A, according to Cape Girardeau County spokesman Eric McGowen.

However, County Road 241 is closed east of 237. County Road 238 is passable with no water over the road. Allenville is accessible from the north and south. Updated road closings are posted on the county's website, capecounty.us.

Meanwhile, another state road, Highway 74 between Interstate 55 and Dutchtown, was closed at 8 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation. Locals living and working along Highway 74 still can access Cape Girardeau via Bloomfield Road.

Other state roads closed by flooding include Route E in Scott County near Commerce, Highway 177 north of Cape Girardeau and routes A and E in Perry County.

botto@semissourian.com