4/6/93
By: Martha Parsons
Courier-Post Staff Writer

City officials were to discuss whether to install flood gates today to block the rising Mississippi River from Hannibal streets after the river's level and crest prediction continued to rise late this morning.

The Mississippi River has been inching up its banks for the last few days, exceeding heights at which officials previously thought they would have to install the new flood gates.

"I think you will see us start some type of action," said John Hark, director of emergency management for Hannibal and Marion County. He planned to meet with other city officials and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees to decide whether to use the gates.

The National Weather Service predicted at 10:30 a.m. the river will crest at 21.3 feet Sunday, up from Wednesday's prediction of 20.8 feet. The river rose .15 between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. today, from a reading of 19.77 to 19.92 feet. Wednesday's reading was 18.83 feet.

About inch of rain was expected to fall in the Hannibal area by the end of the day, according to the National Weather Service, and that prediction did not increase since the crest prediction was updated. By Saturday's end, about inches of precipitation will have accumulated. Melting snow from the north could add to the water level increase.

"It's the first experience with the new levy, and they're trying to figure out exactly when things need to be done," Hannibal City Engineer Bob Williamson said before the new crest prediction. "As long as the river's stable, there's no rush."

A Corps of Engineers spokesman said the flood gates would probably not be necessary if the water was 20.8 feet high. The corps recommends when Hannibal officials should close the gates, but the city makes the final decision.

The corps originally recommended closing the gates when the water reached 18.6 feet, Williamson said. The water was higher than that Tuesday, but officials didn't use the gates.

"(They have) since figured out that unless the river is coming up about 2 inches an hour, that isn't necessary," Williamson said.

Fred Schwada, corps flood area engineer, said the corps has not yet come up with a new recommendation level.

"We're still reviewing it," he said.

The city had planned Tuesday morning to close two river gate wells to prevent storm sewer flooding, but officials changed their minds, Williamson said. Instead, workers closed the two wells on Center and Lyon streets Wednesday afternoon.

"The storm sewers are closed and were pumped down last night," he said. "They're sealed off and will stay that way until the river goes back down."

The weather service predicted a 50 percent chance of showers tonight and a 30 percent chance of rain Friday.