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More flooding may hit Old Shawneetown

By Blackwell Thomas, The Southern

Tuesday, March 25, 2008 11:27 PM CDT

OLD SHAWNEETOWN - Last week's rains and the ensuing high river crests they created have now passed by much of Southern Illinois without inflicting widespread damage. But here in the town that bills itself as Illinois' oldest, many fear the worst is yet to come.

Sitting on the banks of the yet-to-crest Ohio River and already under two feet of water in spots, residents in this village of about 300 are worried.

The Ohio is expected to crest sometime Thursday and with the National Weather Service forecasting rain from today through Friday, officials here are worried about continued seepage from the river into the town.

Sitting in the village hall across the street from a flooded park, Mayor Butch Oldham said about six families have been forced to relocate because of flooding so far.

"We are just hoping we get very little rain," he said. "It's a pretty hairy ballgame right now."

Oldham said the town is currently using six gas-powered pumps to empty flooded areas, but with the forecasted upcoming rain he wondered how much they will help.

In one of the larger neighborhoods, water blocks the roads and children's toys float in what used to be front yards. The sight of stray or disowned dogs is more common as the amount of available dry land has given way to murky floodwaters, forcing people and animals to share less space.

Several local business offices have been flooded since last week and have yet to reopen.

At Shawnee Harbor Service in the center of town, workers began bailing out late Thursday, employee Tommy Pinkston said.

"We worked until 5 a.m. Friday," he said. "It was coming in faster than we could get it out."

Next door at Freda's Restaurant, Pinkston was part of a sandbagging effort that had so far repelled the two feet of water that overtook his offices. The sandbags at Freda's formed a horseshoe shape around the building and a pump was sucking out what water managed to get in.

The effort is typical of many in the area, where volunteers are taking it upon themselves to help their neighbors.

Standing next to the sandbagging effort, Cristy Donaldson, a regional manager with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, said she was not sure what to expect once the river crests and this week's rains begin.

"Well, it's not supposed to crest until Thursday but I already see a big difference in the water level than what I saw yesterday," she said. "Really, at this point we don't know what to expect."

blackwell.thomas@thesouthern.com

351-5823