Birds Point reconstruction underway

The Army Corps of Engineers began repairs to the Birds Point levee on Thursday.

The six-member crew’s first task is to smooth the levee at the crevasses. They will then bring each crevasse to a river level of 51 feet at the Cairo gauge.

Corps spokesperson Jim Pogue says that no time table has been set to restore the levee is its previous condition.

“This is an interim step that at least will restore some level of protection to the area. Then as funding becomes available we’ll be looking at the full reset back to the original condition of the levee,” Pogue said.

Pogue says that the Corps still has some design steps and a environmental clearances that must be completed before the levee is brought back to its original height.

Engineers are also working to remove leftover explosive slurry that is still present at the crevasses.

The current operation is being funded by federal dollars instead of money offered by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon to fund a temporary levee.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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River levels rising

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The Mississippi and Ohio Rivers are both on the rise, and continued rain this week will increase the likelihood of flooding.

The Army Corps of Engineers has switched to a Phase One flood fight, which means that they have personnel on call to open up field operations in flood prone communities.

Army Corps of Engineers spokesperson Jim Pogue says that the usual lineup of river towns should keep an eye on the rising river.

"Cairo, New Madrid, Charleston, down around Dyersburg in Tennessee. Those are the traditional areas that are problematic where we have to do a lot of monitoring. But generally what we look at are agricultural areas that aren’t protected by the levee system," Pogue said.

River levels are expected to rise by one foot each day until the rivers crest on April 30. The rivers will crest at 52 feet at Cairo.

Pogue says that areas south of the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers are at the greatest risk for flooding.

"The thing that makes this a little unusual is we’re expecting the river to come up very fast," Pogue said.

The Army Corps of Engineers will provide emergency assistance to communities in the event of a flood.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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