Flood gate at Broadway river entrance to go in Sunday
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A couple of weeks ago, flood gates in Hannibal were installed at Center and Hill Street entrances. Last week, gates at the South Main entrance were put in. The final flood gate along the Hannibal river front is expected to drop Sunday. When those flood gates go in, they keep more than floodwaters out.
You'll remember we reported to you two weeks ago about businesses on the river side of those flood gates. Bubba's Restaurant and the Mark Twain Riverboat are two businesses that can lose a lot when river access is closed. Now, that *that's* a reality, I checked back in with these businesses to find out how they're going to stay above water.
Larry Markley owns Bubba's Restraurant in Hannibal. I spoke with him two weeks ago to find out how his business would be affected if the Broadway gates when in. He told me his business would be stuck in the mud. Now, that possibility is a reality. Water from sewer back up has already crept up, and has reached the walkway to his business. Cars have to park further away, and walk around on this ramp to get inside.
Q: What are you going to do now? "We're going to take our equipment, elevate it. We'll do as much as we can to prevent water damage, but we expect water to reach our floor," said Markley.
Marion County Emergency Management Director John Hark told me he expects the river to reach the 21.5 foot flood stage between 7am Sunday morning and 7am Monday. According to the National Weather Service predictions, the river's forecasted to reach 22.8 feet by Thursday.
"Once the river reaches a point of 21.5 feet that's the sil elevation on Broadway. Those gates need to be in and locked down," Hark told me.
Another business along the river is the Mark Twain Riverboat. When I spoke with owner Steve Terry a couple of weeks ago, he told me moving his boat up stream was an option, and that he did. Friday, he moved his operation here. Terry told me the water was getting so high, he had to build an extra 16 foot ramp to get people on board.
"It's working out well, three cruises today, lots of people showed up, people are finding us," said Terry.
As for Markley and his restaurant, he says this time of season can be depressing, especially since he went through this before back in 2001. But he says, it comes with the territory, and he wouldn't have it any other way.
"You know it's coming, buy you don't want it to be today," Markley says.
Markley says he won't move his business. He hopes to be out for at least a week. He couldn't estimate how much Bubba's would lose, but he says it will definitely take a loss. John Hark told me once the river crests and receeds, he will remove the gates as soon as possible. Hark also wants to remind residents that secondary streets are underwater. He says the pressure from the water can pop off manhole lids, and that water can be pretty deep. So people should stay out.
