ALTON - Shortly after Alton Mayor Brant Walker, Fire Chief Bernie Sebold and Alton Public Works Director Bob Barnhart concluded their initial assessment of the potential flooding situation in Alton, the officials are optimistic that the city will be able to handle the rising waters of the Mississippi River.
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"Based on current predictions and elevations, we are looking at only minor flooding to occur at the Alton riverfront," Bob Barnhart said.
Barnhart advised that if the flood waters continued to rise, the impact will be evident at the intersection of State Street and Broadway.
"As of right now, we do not expect any road closures to take place until Tuesday, but when that happens, we will have a closure of that intersection on the River Road."
If the flooding rises above Route 100, the City of Alton's local Emergency Management Team will mobilize and work to construct a "muscle wall flood defense system" from State Street to Williams Street on West Broadway.
"We are looking at a minor flood, but with what we have endured over the last four years, we are extremely prepared for the amount of water that is predicted to come," Barnhart said. "This is nothing like the flooding we received in December 2015."
Barnhart said that the city will continue to keep an eye on the rising waters and will reassess the situation to see what steps it will take next.
The Illinois Department of Transportation announced Monday that Route 67 from the Clark Bridge headed into Missouri will have one lane of two-way traffic in the northbound lanes.
As of 1 p.m. on Monday, the Mississippi River at the Melvin Price Lock and Dam is currently measuring at 28.74 feet, just under the "moderate" flood stage. The water levels are expected to be at its highest point at 33.1 feet Wednesday afternoon. This flooding forecast, however, does not take into account any additional rainfall that may come into the area.
"There are a lot of variables that come into play with flooding, including unanticipated rainfall levels or possible levee failures that could divert water away from the area," he said. "Our evaluation is day-by-day and with such a fluid forecast that moves so constantly, we make our best, most educated guesses."
Barnhart is confident that the local emergency management team will be able to handle the rising waters.
"Over the last four years, I'd say that we have become very experienced, and we're not afraid of what is headed our way," he said. "If needed, we know that we have the cooperation of our local community to help out. With their help, we can hold of any challenge.
"Their helps reaffirms what we do and makes us feel good as a community," he said. "It brings home the fact that we are not just a city, or a public works department, with its citizens; we are a community who live and work here with a common goal of preserving our assets and downtown historic district."
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