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Hamilton Preparing for More Flooding

The fact that the Mississippi River is slowly starting to recede is not stopping flood preparation in one Hancock County community.

Hamilton Mayor Steve Woodruff says volunteers have villed several thousand large sandbags in the last few days.

He says the sandbags are being stored on pallets so they can be easily moved to one of several vulnerable locations.

Woodruff says the 2nd Street bridge over Railroad Creek has already been closed due to flooding while the bridge off of Highway 136 towards Warsaw is in jeopardy.

He says Hamilton is not responsible for protecting the low-lying stretch of Highway 136 from Hamilton to Keokuk because the Illinois Department of Transportation is in charge.

The Mississippi River crested at Keokuk over the weekend, but it should remain above major flood stage through Friday.

LEE COUNTY

Lee County Emergency Management Coordinator Steve Cirinna says things are relatively stable in his coverage area.

He says he has not received any reports of evacuations due to floodwater.

Cirinna says a couple parks in Keokuk (Victory Park) and Fort Madison (Riverview Park) are flooded, though that is not uncommon due to their elevation and proximity to the Mississippi River.

He does not expect the rain predicted for the next few days to greatly impact river levels.

BURLINGTON

City leaders in Burlington say flood barriers around Memorial Auditorium and the Market Street Lift Station are holding back the Mississippi River.

The city did have to close the north and south parking lots at the auditorium as well as portions of Front, Washington, Jefferson, Valley and Market Streets.

There is a possibility that a portion of Main Street could close if heavy rain arrives as predicted.

RIVER LEVELS (AS OF 10:30 P.M. - APR. 22)

MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Gladstone - 17.9'       (Major Flood Stage - 14')
Burlington - 22.5'     (Major Flood Stage - 18')
Keokuk - 22.0'         (Major Flood Stage - 19')
Gregory Landing - 23.3' (Major Flood Stage - 25')

SKUNK RIVER
Augusta - 21.3'     (Major Flood Stage - 20')

ILLINOIS RIVER
Havana - 24.7'         (Major Flood Stage - 23')
Beardstown - 27.0'    (Major Flood Stage - 28')
Meredosia - 25.4'    (Major Flood Stage - 24')

Jason Parrott is a former reporter at Tri States Public Radio.