The Big Muddy River is set to crest in Murphysboro later this week. Officials are working to prepare for the additional flooding. They say homeowners should do the same.
MURPHYSBORO, Ill. (WSIL)-- The Big Muddy River is set to crest in Murphysboro later this week. Officials are working to prepare for the additional flooding. They say homeowners should do the same.
Rebecca Applegate is one of many homeowners near the Big Muddy River. She says they are preparing themselves for more water to come.
“Actually, I don't live in a floodplain, but you know, with Mother Nature, you never know,� Applegate said.
Applegate's home sits right on the edge of the river in Murphysboro. She says the last time she was concerned about the flooding impacting her home was in 2016.
“We can see it standing here on the deck. Right now the Big Muddy's crested, or so I saw this morning at 21.6 something feet, and it's supposed to crest at 38 feet, so it's going to come up on my property a little bit more,� Applegate said.
She plans to put out sandbags to try and stop the water from coming in if it gets close. Murphysboro Mayor Will Stephens says they are providing over 5,000 bags for Murphysboro residents to protect their homes.
“Available at Bost Truck Service, and the sand is free, and the sandbags are free. Some people got sandbags just to put around their furnace that might be in their basement if they were worried about flash flooding or water coming up in their basement,� Stephens said.
He says they are expecting the river to crest on Wednesday.
“The river crest is going to be within levels that we've seen before, and I don't think it's going to be as bad as, say, it was back in 2011. But the flash flooding certainly put water over roads I'd never seen water on,� Stephens said.
He says he doesn't think there will be major damage; people should also remember to be careful around the water, especially with their kids.
“These floodwaters maybe aren't dangerous in the sense that somebody would get carried away, but there's certainly going to be diseases and other things in them,� Stephens says. “I think that after this is over, we're going to have a lot of mosquito opportunities for additional mosquito outbreaks.�
But as water comes in, homeowners like Applegate are doing what they can to prepare.Ìý
I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't crest at 38 feet and that it doesn't come into my house,� Applegate said.
Officials also remind people not to drive on roadways that have water.Ìý
