Residents express fear, anger at possible breach at Birds Point levee

As the rains continued to pound the area and the floodwaters continue to rise today, another powerful force seemed to grip the residents of Mississippi and New Madrid counties: fear.

Gen. Michael Walsh, president of the Mississippi River Commission, presided over a heated town meeting at the Creative School Zone in East Prairie, Mo., where more than 100 area residents expressed their concerns over the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plan to intentionally breach the Birds Point levee should the river rise too high.

As of this afternoon, it was becoming increasingly likely that the plan would have to go into effect. Birds Point-New Madrid floodway plan

There are some critical numbers in play.

The river gauge in Cairo, Ill., as of today was at 58.27 feet. If it hits 60.5 feet -- a level expected by Saturday -- the corps could be forced to breach the levee with explosives. The action would cause catastrophic damage to the residents, farmers and businesses in the planned floodway, an area of about 130,000 acres.

If the water rises too high and the corps does nothing, an uncontrollable spill would send millions of cubic feet of water down river, affecting millions of square acres of property in Arkansas.

Mississippi County residents know the plan would cost them their livelihoods and cost the region tens of millions of dollars -- a loss that the government does not guarantee.

An East Prairie resident wondered what it would all amount to, that it seemed like filling up a tea cup.

"We are fighting for inches," Walsh said, referring to corps officials upstream attempting to hold back as much water as possible.

Check www.semissourian.com later or Thursday's Southeast Missourian for more information.