Some Equality residents packing, some bagging as water rises
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[As the Saline River water grew ever closer, some residents of West Depot Street in Equality were moving.
Chester Baker owns property at the east end of West Depot Street and a mobile home there. In 2008 the mobile home took in water. The family was gutting the mobile home in a remodeling effort preparing it for Baker's daughter, Mercedes Hopson, to move into, his wife Monica Baker said.
But then the water began rising.
"We were in the process of gutting it and don't want to lose what we've done," Monica Baker said.
Baker said the water appeared to be moving rapidly Monday evening.
"Last night it was about 5 feet closer than it was before dark," Baker said.
So the family Tuesday was in the process of hauling the mobile home off to its new permanent home in Shawneetown. It was to be relocated by the end of the day.
"We don't have a choice," Baker said.
Next door Norma Chapman was helping her mother, Ann Chapman, to relocate prior to the flood's arrival.
"They are predicting it will get higher than 1997," Norma Chapman said.
"I don't know how deep, but it will be getting here," Chapman said.
Chapman then left her yard to assist the Bakers.
About a block away Duke Williams and family and friends were filling sandbags. Williams said Monday night he had a crew of about 25 friends, firefighters and members of a church group helping to fill sandbags and build a fortress of them around his house.
Williams said he had also heard the rumor this year's flood -- a combination of extreme rain and slow draining due to the rising Ohio River, predicted Tuesday to crest at 55 feet May 4 -- may be worst than floods of either 1997 or 2008. Williams lived at his house during both floods and sandbagged. The water reached the foundation and crept the height of his vinyl siding in 1997, but the interior remained dry.
"They claim it's going to be a foot higher at least than what it was in 1997," Williams said.
Williams on Tuesday did not boast about the preparedness of the village leaders.
"We just got the sand here yesterday and the sandbags yesterday evening. We had plenty of help," Williams said.
Williams said the village had to get the bags from Shawneetown authorities.
Williams said at the end of the night there were only eight bags left to fill with sand. Tuesday morning more arrived, but Williams is afraid it may be too late. Monday night the bags could be loaded onto a trailer pulled by a truck and moved to his backyard. Late Tuesday morning the water in that yard was so high he and friend, David Mahan, wore hip boots to carry the sandbags to the backyard. Williams is afraid he will not be able to build the sandbag level high enough to protect the house this time if the water height predictions are accurate.
"If we'd had the stuff we could have done it," Williams said.
Williams said he thanks everyone for their help in sandbagging and hopes the municipalities can all keep a store of sandbagging materials within the municipalities in the future.
"In my own opinion each town needs sandbags and sand equipment for these type of things so we can be prepared for them rather than waiting until they are on top of you," Williams said.
Williams is not confident his house will remain dry, but he is confident he has no plans to move.
"If something happens I'm going to be like the good captain. I'm going to go down with the ship. But I'm not an idiot. If we see it that high we'll move stuff over, raise it up and wait and see," Williams said.
This morning Williams said a day and night of sandbagging Tuesday had the work ahead of the water, but there is more to do to get the sandbag fort high enough for comfort.
"The water is up. It's not supposed to crest until Tuesday," Williams said today.
A new project may be needed.
"If it keeps coming up like this we'll wind up having to sandbag the church tomorrow," Williams said.
The Equality Full Gospel Church next door to Williams' residence was saved by sandbags in the 1997 flood.
Williams' in-laws Lu Smith and John Robert Smith of Old Shawneetown are staying with his family and are worried this year's flood could spell catastrophe for Old Shawneetown's future.
The intersection of South McHenry Street and West Locust Street was submerged underwater and was closed. A house next to the intersection on West Locust Street, the home of Wes and Tami Jackson had water licking the concrete foundation Tuesday. Vehicles parked in front were filled with items as though an evacuation was underway and two dogs were chained out front. There were no sandbags.
In the last major flood, March 18, 2008, the Jacksons were working with friends to sandbag and protect the home they'd had built only six months prior.
According to a news release from Gallatin County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator Steve Galt:
-- Sandbagging also started Tuesday morning at Old Shawneetown, Junction and New Haven.
-- A shelter was opened in Shawneetown at the Baptist Church and was staffed by the American Red Cross.
-- Water continues to rise which will result in new roads being closed. The main road into Junction is closed and an alternate route is being used.
-- The mayor of Old Shawneetown announced the village was under a state of emergency Sunday and that state of emergency remains in effect. The flooding in town is due to rising rain water inside the levee. A voluntary evacuation has been issued by the village. All non-local traffic is forbidden inside the village limits and sightseers are asked to stay out of Old Shawneetown and other flood locations.
-- Tetanus shots will be available 9 a.m. Thursday at the Egyptian Mental and Public Health Office in Shawneetown for a fee of $10.
-- At 8 a.m. Wednesday the river stage at Old Shawneetown was 49.21 feet with flood stage at 33 feet. A predicted crest is 55 feet on May 4. That crest is five feet below what is considered the top of the Old Shawneetown levee's protection, according to the National Weather Service Internet site.
-- The Illinois State Police, Illinois Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Forest Service are stepping up patrols in and around Gallatin County.
-- DeNeal receives e-mail at bdeneal@yourclearwave.com.