STE. GENEVIEVE LEVEE BREACHED; ABOUT 50 HOMES ARE AFFECTED

STE. GENEVIEVE Hours after residents in the southern section of town cleared out under an emergency evacuation order, flood relief workers were scrambling Sunday afternoon and evening to contain the first serious levee breach in this town's long-running battle against the Mississippi River.

The breach occurred about 1:30 p.m. in the Valle Spring levee, an interior levee that protects the historic town from sudden rises in the Valle Spring Branch.

The creek runs parallel to the Mississippi River in the town's southern section. The levee is situated south of the city's new marina, which is not threatened.

The breach happened at the spot where national guardsmen were working on a 4-inch sandboil that had appeared. They had just taken care of another sandboil only 25 feet away, said Lt. Chris Mickan, a national guardsman from Gordonville.

When the new sandboil began growing quickly, Mickan said, heavy equipment was called in in an attempt to surround it with a rock berm. But there wasn't time, he said. "Within 10 minutes the entire levee was gone."

Mickan took the accompanying photograph of the levee's destruction.

A civilian truck on the levee when the breach occurred was swept away. No one was injured.

Estimating the size of the breach at 60-70 yards wide, Mickan said the levee cannot be repaired.

Jean Rissover, a volunteer who has acted as the city's spokeswoman through the 1-month-old crisis, said the effort now is being concentrated on building up the levee north of the breach.

Engineers hope that will prevent the floodwaters from moving into the central section of the town, where many of its historic houses are situated.

An attempt also will be made to use rock to close off the water at its south end.

So far about 50 houses and businesses have been affected by the breach in the mostly residential area, with water inundating some and only threatening others. Residents in the area previously had been asked to leave their homes voluntarily, but an unknown number had remained.

Following notification of the levee break via citizens band radio, the emergency evacuation order was broadcast over radio station KSGM in Ste. Genevieve, and carried out by national guardsmen going door-to-door. Mickan said most residents had about an hour to evacuate before the water began reaching their doorways.

A national guardsman returning from the break to City Hall called the scene "total chaos."

Mickan said sandboils now are appearing along the levees with disturbing frequency. "The ground is now so saturated you're going to see a lot more of these levees break," he predicted.

Rissover said a 24-hour patrol was instituted on the levees two weeks ago in an attempt to catch the sandboils before they can cause a levee break.

After the breach occurred, guardsmen rushed to try to extend sandbag walls around some of the homes in the evacuation zone all residences along north-south-running St. Mary's Road, at the east end of Seraphin Street, and low-lying houses in the St. Jude subdivision.

Some guardsmen were up to their shoulders in water trying to reinforce sandbag walls around houses on Seraphin Street until commanded to fall back.

Peggi Koch's house was next in line as the floodwaters continued to creep up. "I will survive," she said. "I'm upset. Thank God my kids are in St. Louis."

Later in the afternoon, St. Jude residents were allowed to return to their homes briefly to pick up personal items, but were required to be out by dusk.

At the east end of Seraphin Street, the National Guard had painted an orange line on a utility pole indicating the height of 49 feet. A number of houses will be under water there if the current crest prediction of 49.5 feet Tuesday holds.

The river stage at 7 a.m. Sunday was 47.93 feet. Flood stage is 27 feet.

So far, more than 400 houses and businesses in Ste. Genevieve have been affected by the floodwaters. About two dozen people are living in a community shelter.

Mayor Paul Anderson, interviewed before the break, said the fight to save the city has been taxing emotionally and financially. "Somebody's going to have to come and help us," he said. "...By the time we pay off everything we'll be bankrupt."