HEAVY RAINS SHOW EFFECTIVENESS OF FLOOD CONTROL

Earlier this week, rains pounded Cape Girardeau and the region. But the swirling waters in the city's west end were efficiently collected in the partially completed flood-control project along Cape LaCroix and Walker creeks. Merchants and city officials breathed a sigh of relief. Serious flash flooding in the city's west end business district was avoided.

Cape Girardeau and the federal government have invested a pretty penny in this flood development project: more than $30 million. It's gratifying to start reaping some of the benefits.

The project, which has replaced bridges and widened the creek channels, has been inconvenient at times. Detours and lane closures have been common along busy Kingshighway. But when heavy rains hit, the city is reminded of the project's importance.

More than two inches fell on Monday and Tuesday alone. But it still can't compare to the drenching that hit in 1986, when more than 6.6 inches fell on a single May day. The raging storms spawned deadly flash flooding, which left three feet of water in many Town Plaza and adjacent businesses and swept away two residents. This flooding sparked the campaign that led to the flood-control project.

The community voted overwhelmingly in favor of a $3.3 million general obligation bond issue in August 1986 as the local share of the project. A quarter-cent sales tax for flood-control projects -- approved in 1988 -- took effect in January 1990. Residents realized that the flooding problems went beyond the merchants in flood-prone areas. It was a community problem, and together the city addressed it.

Cape Girardeau's flood control project was a part of the $16 billion Water Resources Development Act approved by Congress in November 1986. The project includes construction of a 160-acre dry retention basin as well as channel and bank improvements along both Cape LaCroix and Walker creeks.

Flood-prone businesses also worked to raise an additional $1 million locally to widen and straighten lower Cape LaCroix Creek from Bloomfield Road to the Mississippi River. That work was completed in 1987 and 1988.

The city is working to acquire property for the detention basin, and construction may begin later this year. A final phase of the Walker branch -- widening an earthen channel from Kingsway to Cape Rock and Perryville -- is to start in early 1997. The entire project should be completed by late 1997 or early 1998, according to city officials.

Today, much of the channel improvements for the Corps of Engineers project have been completed along Cape LaCroix, from South Bloomfield to Arena Park. Walker Creek work is centered on the Bessie St. Bridge and channel improvements. The contractor will be working toward Broadway and should finish in August.

Another contractor will begin this month on the Broadway and Kingsway area. Traffic at Broadway will narrow to one lane each way during the coming months. During the aggravation, motorists should remember the benefits reaped this week.

With the flood-control project in place, many merchants didn't have to worry this week about rising waters along Kingshighway. The protection didn't come easy or cheaply, but it seemed a sound investment when heavy rains fell.