NATCHEZ — The Mississippi River is expected to reach 53.5 feet on Monday at the Natchez/Vidalia, La., gauge, more than five feet above flood stage.
Marty Pope, a hydrologist at the National Weather Service’s Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center, says rain in the area above the Yazoo River was the biggest contributing factor to the elevated crest, though waters coming from the Arkansas River have also played a role.
The river levels are expected to fall slowly because of significant water coming down the Mississippi River from above Cairo, Ill.
In 2008, the river reached 57.03 feet, second only to the 1937 record of 58.04 feet.
To the north in Vicksburg, officials expect to shut down Mississippi Highway 465 on Wednesday because of high water. The highway connects U.S. Highway 61 and Eagle Lake.
About 600 Eagle Lake residents would use a narrow, gravel levee road to get to and from the Oxbow Lake, which is a favorite fishing and hunting area.
The Mississippi River is predicted river crest at Vicksburg at 47 feet on Saturday, according to the weather service.
About 4 inches of rainfall over the weekend pushed up the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ forecast crest for the water stage inside the 4,093 square miles of land north of Vicksburg known as the Yazoo Backwater.
The gates of the Steele Bayou control structure off Mississippi 465 — the lone drainage point for the backwater area — were closed May 10.
As of Tuesday, Steele Bayou was holding about 3.4 feet of river water out of the impounded area, as the land side stage was 91.8 feet and the river side stage was 94.3 feet. The gates cannot be reopened until the land side stage is higher than the river side stage.
Without any additional rainfall, the corps estimates the landside stage will top out at 92 to 92.5 feet at the end of the month, said Robert Simrall, corps chief of water control.
In 2008, Steel Bayou was closed on March 13 and reopened on May 8, at which point the water stage inside the structure was 92.3 feet and the Corps estimated a total of 344,000 acres of forest and farmland were flooded. Drainage came in time for planting and a near-normal crop season. That may not be the case this year.
The river topped flood stage at Vicksburg last year on March 29, crested at 50.9 feet April 21 and remained above flood stage until May 10. It was the highest measured river stage recorded at the city in 35 years, dating back to 1973 when the river topped out at 51.6 feet.
Local News
UPDATE - Mississippi River heading higher at Natchez
- Local News
-
-
POLICE MEMORIAL
City employees were out at the Picayune Police Department memorial Thursday morning doing some upgrades to it.
-
ACCIDENT
ACCIDENT — Emergency personnel responded to this accident Thursday morning on South Haugh Avenue.
-
Supervisors support sales tax proposal
The Pearl River County Board of Supervisors unanimously supports District 1 Supervisor Anthony Hales proposal for a 1-percent county sales tax.
Hales had outlined his proposal at two earlier meetings of the board of supervisors and the other four members voiced their support for the idea at Wednesday’s meeting. -
Lawrence sentenced to 57 months for child porn
Picayune native Clifford Lawrence has been sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for possession of child pornography.
-
WORK UNDERWAY
WORK UNDERWAY — Foundation work on Nicholson Elementary’s multi-purpose building is underway. The building is expected to be complete by spring of next year and will provide the surrounding community with a place to hold events.
-
Washing Water Tower
WASHING WATER TOWER — These workers were spray-cleaning the water tower at Pearl River Community College at Poplarville last week.
-
New, old law makers tout legislative successes
Four state law makers held a legislative review for members of the Greater Picayune Area Chamber of Commerce at the newly opened Southern Char restaurant Tuesday night to share with business owners information about new bills and laws that have been passed.
-
School board approves step raises
Picayune teachers and other staff members should receive step pay increases next year, following some debate on the matter during Tuesday’s meeting of the Picayune Municipal Separate School District.
-
PRC GRADUATION
PRC GRADUATION — At left, Pearl River Central High School Valedictorian Layton Spiers addresses the PRC Senior Class of 2012. At right, PRC Salutatorian Hayden Skantz addresses the graduating class. PRC High School held its graduation exercises Monday night in the school’s football stadium.
-
PMHS GRADUATION SPEAKERS
PMHS GRADUATION SPEAKERS — From left valedictorian Jared Christopher Bates and salutatorian Bryce Austin Warden will lead Picayune Memorial High School’s graduation ceremonies at 7 p.m. Thursday at the football stadium.
- More Local News Headlines
-
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
Raw Video: Fight Erupts in Ukrainian Parliament
Texan Ranchers Remain Wary of Drought
Raw Video: Soldiers Plant Flags at Arlington
Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance
NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted
Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns
Neighbors of Etan Patz's Suspect: It's Shocking
Gulf Fishermen Reel From Seafood Troubles
Stuntman Makes Skydive Without Parachute in UK
Raw Video: Bride Who Faked Cancer Released
