People on the Mississippi

tami wrote: Damon, how's Memphis? I'm hearing that Tunica's casinos are underwater.

Wet, damn wet.

Thunderstorm after thunderstorm. Got a break in the weather Saturday and tried to go sailing at Arkabutla Lake 30 miles south of Memphis. One week ago the water level was low, at the bottom of the long concrete ramp. In one week the water had risen from 213 to 238. It was so high I couldn't launch because the water was up in the trees and riprap.

Flood stage for the Mississippi river at Memphis is 34 feet, right now it is past 43 and expected to crest around 46 (all time record is 48) on May 10th.

Downtown Memphis is on a high bluff but surrounding areas and towns to the North and South are in trouble. Anyone in a 100 year flood plain has already had to evacuate. The town West Memphis across the river is not on a bluff and is mostly underwater now. One year ago there was a lot of flooding in these areas and houses/businesses were rebuilt only to be underwater again. Nothing nastier than river floodwater.

I live East of Memphis on a relatively high spot, but close by me are several flooded creeks and rivers that have closed roads.

prime crawfish conditions! when the river crests in a week or so, it will leave pools everywhere bringing the bugs out in force. may not be much of a consolation prize, but a huge crawfish boil helps ease the pain!

Biloxi TV station WLOX is holding a Red Cross telethon for tornado and Miss R flood victims. Please consider a donation. After Katrina, the Red Cross were the ONLY folks who came by in our neighborhood, and let me tell you, the meals were sure welcome to us tired people.

Story:
http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=14575396

phone no:
228.385.2676

website:
http://mississippi-redcross.org