ON THE RISE: RIVER MAY TOP FLOOD STAGE AT CAPE GIRARDEAU

The Mississippi River's rising floodwaters are rolling toward Cape Girardeau, National Weather Service forecasters say.

The river is forecast to crest here at 33 feet on May 1, a foot above flood stage and 3 feet above Friday's level.

But Andy Juden Jr. doesn't put much stock in flood forecasts because they constantly change. Juden is president of the Main Street Levee District, one of two levee districts that operate pumping stations in downtown Cape Girardeau. The other is the North Main Street Levee District.

Juden said the area could face heavier flooding if heavy rains fall north of here along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.

The National Weather Service predicted showers and thunderstorms for most of eastern Iowa Friday as volunteers continued sandbagging efforts to protect several towns threatened by the surging river.

In Davenport, Iowa, floodwaters crept into low-lying areas near the downtown.

"That water up in Iowa is going to take 10 days to get here," Juden said.

Unlike Davenport, Cape Girardeau is protected by a floodwall. If the current forecast holds true, the downtown floodgates won't have to be closed, Juden said.

The Themis Street gate is closed when the river reaches 35 feet on the gauge. The Broadway gate is closed at the 39-foot level. The river has to reach 45 feet, 13 feet above flood stage, before workers close a gate on the south end of the floodwall along Aquamsi Street.

The levee districts operate pumping stations to keep stormwater from backing up on downtown streets and into stores.

"If there wasn't a seawall right at the corner of Independence and Water streets, at 34.5 feet water would be coming out of the storm sewer there," Juden said. "At about 36.5 feet there would be water inside Hutson Furniture Co."

Staff writer Mark Bliss contributed to this report.