Themis Street floodgate closed; Broadway gate closing today

The Themis Street floodgate closed Tuesday afternoon as the Mississippi River levels squeaked past the 32-foot flood stage to 32.67 feet. The river has risen nearly five feet since Monday, part of a post-Hurricane Ike surge. The river is expected to crest Saturday at 42 feet.

Steve Cook, assistant public works director for Cape Girardeau, said both the pump stations were operating on Tuesday.

"It's fortunate we've done a lot of flood control in the past which will limit problems," Cook said.

The Broadway floodgate will be closed today, he said. A temporary bridge will be installed near the water treatment plant on the city's south side, something typically done when the water threatens to reach 38 feet and "coordinated with the SEMO Port Authority," Cook said.

The Themis Street floodgate is typically closed at 35 feet; the Broadway gate at 39 feet. The river won't reach a stage high enough to warrant closing the North Main Street gate, though whether the nearby railroad gate gets closed is still being determined.

The city is in the process of transitioning control of the gates from the two levee districts.

If the river does crest at the predicted 42 feet Saturday, it will be more than three times higher than the lowest point recorded this season -- 12.83 feet Aug. 30. The highest the river has been since March 1 is 42.25 feet, recorded July 3.