Residents anxious, watchful over plan to blow up levee

[Earth_First]

The Corps of Engineers says the action is necessary to save the town of Cairo, Illinois, although it will flood rural Missouri farm communities. "I know that the price being paid is high," said Maj. Gen. Michael Walsh on Saturday.

A federal judge on Friday ruled against Missouri in the case, saying a 1928 law permits the breach of the levee to ease pressure on the river. As of 2 p.m. (3 p.m. ET), the gauge at Cairo -- where the Ohio River meets the Mississippi River -- stood at 59.93 feet, a record level. Flood stage is 40 feet, according to the National Weather Service

While Jones and others are concerned about the economic impact on Mississippi County, Missouri, they are even more worried about the unforeseen consequences if all doesn't go according to plan and water inundates the nearby Missouri towns of New Madrid, Charleston, Wyatt and East Prairie.

The plan calls for engineers to use explosives to breach the Birds Point-New Madrid levee, flooding 130,000 acres of Missouri farmland that has been designated as a flood plain. About 90 families who live in the area have already been evacuated, Missouri officials have said.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/05/01/missouri.levee.breach/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

[Drale]

1. You build on a flood plain and this is what is going to happen

That might sound cold but its the truth.

[Botany]

2. Flood Plains are made for floods

end of story ....

Flooded now they still might be able to get a crop in this season

[tularetom]

3. I've met Gen. Walsh and he is a very fair man

He was in charge of the Sacramento District of the Army Corps of Engineers in the late 90's when we suffered some damage to property and crops as a result of a failed levee.

Although our problems seemed huge to us they were pissants compared to what these folks on the Mississippi are facing.

We didn't get everything we wanted out of Walsh but we got a fair hearing and I think we even got some rules relaxed in order to get reimbursed for the flooding.

He will do the rigtht thing, I'm sure, even if it pisses some people off.