CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. (AP) -- The U.S. Coast Guard has closed a section of the flooded Mississippi River to barge traffic in southeast Missouri over concerns that ship wakes could push water over a floodwall protecting Caruthersville.
The town of 6,700 residents is seeing record flooding, with a crest of 49.5 feet expected early Monday. That would reach within a half-foot of the top of the floodwall. The Missouri National Guard has constructed a sandbag levee and earthen berms in an effort to catch any spillover.

The Coast Guard says that starting Friday, barge traffic is prohibited over a five-mile stretch of the river at Caruthersville for an estimated eight days, depending on conditions.

http://www.stategazette.com/story/1725324.html

Edited by Dodge Man (05/06/11 03:13 PM)
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