Cairo Illinois: The 1937 Flood

MSNBC article with several photos: Cairo, Ill. levee dynamited to ease flood... in 1937

Comment: Also consider:

Ohio River flood of 1937

The Great Flood of 1937

"Historic and tragic" Levee breach

River Drops After Levee Blast

Excerpts:

At around 10 p.m. local time Monday, a rapid-fire series of fireballs ripped across the darkened tree line, followed by the sound and chest-rumbling feel of powerful explosions from a vantage point around the corner of the same levee and about a half-mile across soggy farmlands.

A Corps official said the operation had been a success, while calling it both "historic and tragic."

...

By 7 a.m. local time Tuesday, the Ohio River at Cairo had dropped by more than a foot, to 60.57 feet from 61.72 feet just before the explosion. Engineers were still preparing to blow two additional holes at the southern end of the floodway—some 35 miles away—to let water flow back into the river, according to a 5 a.m. update on a Corps Facebook page.

Comment: Article is really interesting. Look for the term "sand boil". Another article mentioning "sand boil": Mayor Evacuates Flood-Threatened Illinois City. Picture from 1937 sand boil in Cairo. Picture from 2011 of sand boil. Article on sand boils

Levee Blast on Track

Justice Alito Declines State's Bid to Halt Plan to Breach Mississippi River Barrier

Excerpt:

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito turned down a request from the state of Missouri on Sunday to stop the Army Corps of Engineers from blowing up a levee that would send a wall of water over some 130,000 acres of prime farmland to ease record flooding where the Ohio and Mississippi rivers come together.

Comment: Image capture from article. See previous post today on this topic

Save Cairo?

Comment: Not sure if you have been following this. Below are related links. We've been to Cairo. I cannot begin to describe the city. There is a section (video above and following link) that is like a ghost town. And there are some really beautiful homes (check Realtor.com. The most expensive home for sale is $ 175,000).

Missouri Asks Supreme Court to Block Levee Blast

Excerpt:

As Missouri asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block the corps' plan, struggling Cairo near the confluence of Ohio and Mississippi rivers resembled a ghost town as Illinois National Guard troops went door to door with law enforcers to enforce the mayor's "mandatory" evacuation order the previous night.

WSJ: Missouri Asks Supreme Court to Halt Levee Blowup

The Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway

Excerpt:

The Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway is a component of the Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T) Project, and is located on the west bank of the Mississippi River in southeast Missouri just below the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. The construction and operation of the floodway was authorized by the 1928 Flood Control Act and later modified by the 1965 Flood Control Act. The purpose of the floodway is to lower flood stages upstream and adjacent to the floodway during major flood events. The Floodway is some 35 miles in length and varies from 4 to 12 miles in width. It comprises about 205 square miles of alluvial valley land. The primary features of the floodway are the setback (mainline) levee, which extends from Birds Point, Missouri, to New Madrid, Missouri, and the frontline levee which is located on the west bank of the river and generally follows its alignment. Within the frontline levee, there are two fuseplug sections. These sections were designed and built 2 feet flower than the remaining portions of the frontline levee. The upper fuseplug section is 11 miles in length and is located in the northernmost reach of the frontline levee. The lower fuseplug is 5 miles in length and is located in the extreme lower end of the frontline levee. In addition, there is an existing 1500-foot gap which is located between the setback levee and the end of the frontline levee. This opening currently provides a drainage outlet for interior run-off and allows flood backwaters to enter the floodway.

Battling Nature on the River

Excerpt:

The 1927 flood came as a surprise to no one. Precipitation over the entire river basin started in August 1926 and continued through the end of the year. In the last three months of 1926, all the gauges on the entire river system—on the Ohio, the Missouri, the Arkansas and the Mississippi itself—had the highest average readings ever recorded. On Christmas Day 1926, both Nashville and Knoxville—which sit on different rivers—flooded. On New Year's Day 1927, the Mississippi broke flood stage at Cairo, Ill. It remained above that level for 153 consecutive days.

WIKI: Cairo, Illinois

Excerpt:

During the Civil War, Cairo was a strategically important supply base and training center for the Union army. For several months, both General Grant and Admiral Foote had headquarters in the town. The town has numerous examples of prosperous 19th and early 20th century architecture, including the Italianate Magnolia Manor and Second Empire Riverlore Mansion built by Capt. William P. Halliday. Much of the city, even in some areas of decay, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

With the decline in river trade, as has been the case in many other cities on the Mississippi, Cairo has experienced a marked decline in its economy and population, from a 1920 high of 15,203 residents to 2,831 in 2010. There is a movement to stop abandonment of the city, restore Cairo's architectural landmarks, develop tourism focusing on its history and relationship to the river, and bring new opportunities back to the community.