River Rising to 'Minor' Flood Stage This Week

The Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau has been on the rise since late last week and is forecast to exceed flood stage sometime this morning.

As of early Monday afternoon, the gauge at the Cape Girardeau riverfront stood at 30.5 feet en route to a minor flood stage of 32 feet today and a predicted crest of 36 feet by Friday night.

Downtown pumping stations will be activated when the river level reaches 32 feet, but Cape Girardeau public works director Stan Polivick said the rising water may only require closure of one, but not both, of the gates along the downtown flood wall.

"Sometime Thursday we will close the Themis Street gate, but if 36 feet is the crest, we won't have to close the Broadway gate," Polivick said Monday morning.

He said the Themis gate will probably remain closed until "first thing Monday morning." By then, the National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky, believes the river will be at or below flood stage and well on its way to a predicted reading of about 22 feet near the end of April.

This week's river level should not affect U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ceremonies scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Merriweather Street pumping station. The ceremonies, which are open to the public, will mark completion of a $20 million upgrade and maintenance of the flood wall and the downtown pumping stations that began more than a decade ago.

In case of inclement weather, the event will be moved to the Shawnee Park Community Center. If a move is necessary, it will be announced Wednesday morning on the City of Cape Girardeau's website, www.cityofcape.org.