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ALTON - A salvage diver from St. Louis was in the sewers of Alton Thursday. Alton Mayor Brant Walker and Alton Public Works Director Bob Barnhart said the diver was contracted from the Missouri-based company to place inflatable plugs into the city's sewer systems. These plugs will theoretically prevent sewer backup into the lower levels of Downtown businesses.
Barnhart said the "Muscle Wall" built to hold back the flood waters from downtown would not be fully effective unless the lower infrastructure was addressed and repaired as well. Those plugs are working in conjunction with 36-inch culverts implemented in what Walker described as a Barnhart "brainchild."
The culverts will ensure the water rises at an equal rate, taking into account the almost guaranteed failure of area manhole covers. "If this holds, we can handle '93 levels," Walker said.
Barnhart was more apprehensive than Walker, saying he prefers to be a pessimist in situations like these. He said he agreed with the mayor, overall, however, adding the current system is designed to handle river levels as high as 42 feet. Fortunately for the city, the current crests forecast from the National Weather Service (NWS) places Alton at 39.3 feet by next Tuesday. This will mark the second worst flood in the city's history, beating 1973's 36.9 level.
Neither Walker nor Barnhart could say whether or not the levels are likely to reach '93 levels at this time. Recently, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker agreed to send the Illinois National Guard at the behest of Madison County Board Chairperson Kurt Prenzler. Walker said he had not been notified of anything regarding the National Guard, saying it was a county matter, not an Alton one.
