Monticello Live

Chicot County Judge Mack Ball reports that a flood warning for the Mississippi River remains in effect for Chicot County. The flood stage is 48.0 feet, with moderate flooding occurring and major flooding predicted. At 4:00 P.M. Monday, the river stage was 53.2 feet. The river will continue to rise to near 64.5 feet by Sunday, May 15th, exceeding the flood of 2008 by 7.1 feet.

The County Judge met with the Eudora Mayor William Stanton and Lake Village Mayor JoAnne Bush in his office Monday afternoon to brief the Mayors of rising waters from the Mississippi River. Also in attendance was Mike Morgan, Chicot County Emergency Management, the Tony Booker, Chicot County Sheriff’s office, David Gillison of the Southeast Arkansas Levee Board and Sammy Angel with the Lake Village Fire Department.

Judge Ball issued a flood disaster request to the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management on April 27, 2011 in order to obtain necessary supplies to prevent a breach in the Mississippi River Levee System. Barricades have been placed at all entrances to the levee system and driving on the levee is strictly prohibited and will be enforced. Sandbags are being filled by prisoners at the Delta Regional Detention Center in Dermott to be used at two sand boil sites in Chicot County. Authorities are constantly monitoring these two particular sites, but citizens are encourage to contact the Judge’s Office with any information concerning other suspected boils.

The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers has personnel in place to monitor the levee system and all known historical sand boils in Chicot County. Also, the Southeast Arkansas Levee Board is constantly monitoring for sand boils and river seepage caused by the high water.

As of May 2, 2011, no vehicles will be permitted to travel on the levee. The Chicot County Sheriff’s Department, Arkansas Game and Fish, Arkansas Department of Emergency Management and the National Guard will be authorized to issue tickets accordingly. This “zero tolerance” policy is in place to protect both the citizens and property in Chicot County. It is each resident’s responsibility to follow the laws and instructions from the Southeast Arkansas Levee Board, Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, National Guard, U.S. Corp of Engineers, Chicot County Sheriff’s Office and the Chicot County Judge’s office.

All major decisions by the Corp of Engineers or any other state or federal agency will be reported to the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management and the Chicot County Judge. The County Judge will notify the Mayors of each city in Chicot County. The steps will then be in place to inform you as citizens.

If a breach of the levee does occur, officials have developed a system of getting the word to you as a citizen by utilizing fire departments, law enforcement and the Arkansas National Guard. The authorities are simply asking for you to use all precautions and report any unusual developments.

In the event conditions warrant an evacuation all available personnel will notify the citizens of Chicot County. It is at this point that, EVACUATION WILL BE MANDANTORY and your cooperation will be necessary in order to protect both life and property in Chicot County.

At this time only precautionary measures have been issued from each of these entities. Please know that all authorities are working together for your protection. All state and national agencies are on alert for any additional changes in the present conditions of the Mississippi River.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 4th, 2011 at 12:33 am and is filed under Weather. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.