RAPIDLY RISING MISSISSIPP EXPECTED TO DROP QUICKLY

The flood gate at Themis Street will close today, but the Cape Girardeau riverfront's gatekeeper doesn't expect it to be shut long.

"You can't hang your hat on what the river will do," said Andy Juden, head of the Main Street Levee District. "But usually when it rises fast, it falls fast."

The Mississippi River will reach 33.5 feet today, marking an increase of almost 14 feet since Saturday. Flood stage at Cape Girardeau is 32 feet.

The river should crest at 36.5 feet by Saturday before it starts falling again, said Mary Lamm, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky.

No threat expected

Although the river level is high compared to the past two years, Lamm doesn't expect it to be a threat.

"Unless we get a significant rain, we should be OK," she said.

Higher than normal temperatures over the last week coupled with weekend rains are responsible for the river's rise, she said.

The flood gate at Themis Street will close at 4 p.m. today in anticipation of Thursday's water level, Juden said.

"By Thursday morning we'll be over the threshold of the gate at about 35.3 feet," he said.

The Main Street Levee District controls three gates roughly from Park Drive to the Mississippi River Bridge. The bridge at Broadway closes when the river reaches 39 feet, while a gate close to the bridge is shut at 46 feet. The latter flood gate has been closed only once, in 1993, Juden said.

The U.S. Coast Guard has not received many distress calls yet as a result of the rising river, Chief Petty Officer Mark Rieg said.

"Our first reports we normally get are from farmers about the wakes from boats going across their fields," said Rieg, who is stationed in Paducah, Ky.

Rieg recalled two incidents of navigation troubles this month due to the high water and fast current near Cairo, Ill. One boat bumped into a bridge pier when it experienced difficulty lining up to pass under the bridge. Another commercial vessel had assistance from two tugboats, but still grazed the bridge pier.

On guard

The Coast Guard becomes more active when the river level is low or when ice makes maneuvering more challenging.

"We're concerned about the situation now, but we're not on alert," Rieg said.

Juden expects the river to fall below flood stage within 10 days after cresting.

"But nothing is written in stone," Juden said. "This is the way the flood of '93 started."

Rising river Comparing Rising River Levels (in feet):

For 2000:

Feb. 24 - 11.3

Feb. 25 - 10.8

Feb. 26 - 11.0

Feb. 27 - 12.1

For 2001:

Feb. 24 - 19.8

Feb. 25 - 21.8

Feb. 26 - 25.5

Feb. 27 - 30.5