FIRST THE CLEANUP, THEN THE DEBATE OVER 1995 FLOODING

As the Mississippi River continues to drop, cleanup and recovery efforts take the forefront. The Flood of 1995 -- so far -- has been of a much shorter duration than two years ago, but the damage left in its wake is extensive.

For Cape Girardeau County alone, cleanup costs may approach $600,000. The county also has submitted an estimate of $750,000 to buy out affected houses in Dutchtown or Allenville, or possibly construct a levee. The county's billable costs for law enforcement, highway work and labor costs has exceeded $50,000, with the city of Cape Girardeau expending more than $40,000 for sand, equipment rental and labor costs. All that takes a toll on budgets already drained from exorbitant flood cleanup costs two years ago.

River traffic -- grounded for about three weeks -- was released Sunday night, no doubt a relief to the barge industry. Officials estimate more than 2,000 barges were held up by the flood at various points south of Cairo, with an additional 1,000 stalled near St. Louis. Flooding has proved costly to the river industry, which lost $2 million a day during 1993 flooding.

Towns like Commerce were no doubt relieved to see a cautious reopening of commercial traffic on the river. Barges and towboats were initially paced by an hourly schedule to minimize wakes that might threaten the stability of weakened levees.

The river continues to fall. The stage at Cape Girardeau Monday was 40.5 feet. Unique to this year's flood has been the painstakingly slow drop of the river. It may reach 39 feet at Cape Girardeau by Thursday or Friday. That is a stark contrast to two years ago, when the river fell more than three feet a week after hitting its highest point.

Many families in the area have been able to return to their homes, but the cleanup is far from completed. Many are weary of the flood and the assistance provided to flood victims, with the disaster of 1993 so fresh on everyone's minds. But impatience or cynicism aren't what victims or relief organizations need. They need the region's continued support.

When the cleanup effort is well on its way to completion, then analysis and debate should begin. How has the levee system and buildup along the river impacted the flooding? How many times should the government or insurance pay for the same flooded houses?

The Flood of 1995 reminded everyone just how vulnerable the region remains when disaster strikes.