This message is being sent to provide information about potential flooding at the SLYSA complex.

There is a 7 mile, 100 year, levee which protects several properties including the SLYSA complex. The flood water on the other side of the levee comes from the Mississippi River.

Normally rain drains from the front of the complex to the back of the complex. From there it goes to the northwest corner of our neighbors property then out through a pipe into a creek on the other side of the levee. For almost the entire spring, the gate to that pipe has been closed because the water level outside the levee has been higher than ground level inside the levee at the complex. With the pipe closed, all the rain water we had this spring had to be pumped out of the complex and over the levee. We have had as many as three pumps pumping for the greater part of the spring. The higher water on the other side of the levee has been one of the reasons we have been so wet this spring.

We haven't had much rain recently, but areas north of us have. Iowa and Illinois have been hit hard. That water is flowing downstream. Mark has been paying close attention to the projected flood levels and has taken the precaution to move everything that could be moved from the complex to higher ground. He and his crew have been working overtime on this for the past several days. Mark tells me that everything should be out sometime today.

Today, Mark met with a representative from the Corps of Engineers to assess the levee. There are a few depressed areas on the levee that we will be raising to the level of the rest of the levee so that if the levee is topped, it will be less likely to be breached.

The water level on the other side of the levee is currently 2-3 feet from the top of the levee. The predictions are that the river will crest 1 to 2 feet above the top of the levee by sometime Thursday or Friday. Given current forecasts, the complex is expected to flood later this week. Hopefully those forecasts are wrong and the levee will hold. If the levee is topped and not breached, then we have a chance to save the fields by pumping the water back out if the flood water recedes fast enough. If the levee is breached, we will probably lose the grass on the cool season fields (6-18).

We are prepared for the worst, but will hope for the best and keep you posted when things change.

Roger

This is a quick update of the flood situation at the SLYSA complex. The complex is protected by the Elm Point levee and so far has been holding, but not without a lot of help.

On Wednesday, we had pretty much come to the conclusion that the levee protecting the SLYSA complex would be topped because of the crest forecasts for Grafton and Winfield. The SLYSA complex is located between the two with respect to the Mississippi river. On Thursday, the crest forecast was revised to a level that we believed the levee could withstand. We continued to add sand bags to make the levee as even as possible. This Friday morning, a part of the levee began to seep and bulge. The crew talked about options. Essentially in a desperation move, the SLYSA complex staff, our neighbors and others acquired some sodium bentonite. It has several purposes. In this case, it was put into the water on the river side of the levee. The water seeping through the levee carried it into the levee where it expanded and acted as a sealant. It successfully stopped the seeping.

In addition, the Corps of Engineers and others indicated that we needed to shore up the complex side of the levee at the point where the seepage had occurred to keep it from breaching. They couldn’t get there over the top of the levee because that would put additional pressure on it, so the crew created a temporary road to the soft spot in the levee. The crew combined chat (limestone) that we had on site with soil and put it, along with large cinder blocks, concrete blocks and a whole bunch of sand bags on the soft spot and it is holding at the current time.

After completing that project, the crew continued to create sandbags to raise spots in the levee to try to get it all at the same level so that we are protected as much as possible and so that if the levee is topped it is less likely to be breached. Tonight Mark and some of the people from the Corps of Engineers will be up checking the levee each hour. If something needs work, they will call the appropriate people. Currently, the water is very near the top of the low spots on the levee. There are places where water would be coming over the levee if it weren’t for the sand bags. They believe that the levee can handle the forecasted crest levels if the levee is not breached. So, tomorrow they will continue working on raising the level of the levee both with sand bags and with soil taken from the farms protected by the levee.

Some of you have called and asked if you could help. I have relayed that to Mark on several occasions and he has indicated that they have enough people. They are worried about having too many people because if the levee breaks the staging area for creating sand bags could become a dangerous place. We very much appreciate your offering.

There are a few people I would like to publicly thank for their help. Without them, the levee would likely have already been topped or breached. The first is Mark and his crew. They have been working every waking hour to get everything out of the complex and do whatever is needed to reinforce or improve the levee. The second is all our neighbors. Everybody has pitched in and provided what they can to protect the levee. Another is St. Charles and the Corps of Engineers. And, yet another is Anheuser Busch soccer park. Earlier in the spring, the Soccer Park, if you recall, had created a number of sandbags to help protect their buildings from the rising Meramec river. This week, the Soccer Park provided us with over 3000 sand bags that they had used earlier in the spring.

The risk of flooding is still high, but we are hopeful that the levee will hold and not be topped. The river is supposed to crest in our area on Monday.

That’s it for now. I will let you know if something changes. And, say a little prayer for the safety, efforts and well being of all our neighbors working on the levee and for all the families already affected by the flooding this spring.

Thanks.
Roger

It is about 9pm on Saturday night. There are currently about 40 members of the US National Guard at the SLYSA complex working on sand bags and helping reinforce the levee. Tomorrow, about 100 members of the US Army will be there to do the same, including reinforcing the "softer" locations of the levee.

So.... the previous request for help creating sand bags for tomorrow morning is no longer necessary. The US armed forces will be taking over for us tomorrow. Have a great Sunday and say a prayer or two for all affected by the flooding and hope that the levee will remain strong.

Lastly, I'd once again like to thank all those who have helped keep the levee strong enough to hold back the water. Without your help, the complex would have already been under water.

Thanks.
Roger

6/23/2008

The US military has essentially taken over the SLYSA complex in order to do what they can to save the levee and they can do a lot. In less than 24 hours they were able to create and deploy more sand bags than we had been able to do in three days before. Of course they had a lot more people than we did and I will bet that their average age is younger too. The number and types of equipment they have at the complex and the number of people is amazing. They have also been working round the clock.



They have created and deployed sand bags all along about a 4 mile stretch of the levee. They have added rock to areas that are weak. They have even built temporary roads to get to the areas which need the rock/sand bags.



And it's a good thing they have. The water level is now above the height of the sand bags that we had deployed before the military arrived. In some of the lower areas, the water has risen to about even with the height of the sand bags that the military created. So they are fast creating and deploying more. They are also working on areas where water is seeping through the sand bags and under the levee.



The river is forecasted to crest on Wednesday of this week and the water will still be quite high for at least a week after that. So things are still touch and go.



At this point there is nothing more we can do, but hope and pray. The military, emergency personnel, your SLYSA complex staff and other owner/neighbors are doing all they can. Without them, the complex would have already been flooded. They have the resources and manpower to do it if anyone can.



One last thing, you can see the complex from the highway, but you will not be allowed to go to the complex. Fountain Lakes road (the road to the complex entrance) has been closed and only authorized personnel are allowed in and out.



Thanks.

Roger

6/23/2008 6pm

The levee is still holding. It is leaking in places and they need more help sand bagging. I am told they have enough people for the rest of today and this evening, but could use help tomorrow (Tuesday) anytime from 8am to 7pm. If you are available, please come to the complex and park in the lot close to the entrance. The sand bag area for volunteers is at the water pump site near the entrance of the complex on Huster Road.

Thanks.
Roger

6/24/2008 6:30am

The levee has broken and the complex is flooding. Thanks for your help.

We'll get back to you later this week about our options going forward.

Thanks.
Roger