River fight 2011

A line of sandbags keeps water from going over low spots Friday, July 1 on a private levee near Malta Bend. The Missouri River was slowly rising higher than Army Corp of Engineers' predictions. As this picture was taken, the level was close to 29.7 feet.

A farm field looks more like a lake in the Missouri River bottoms near Malta Bend. With the river above flood stage for over 4 weeks, the highest water yet hit on July 2 at 30.12 feet at Waverly. Farmers and volunteers were busy sandbagging to hold a private levee in the bottoms which protects several farm fields.

Volunteers stayed busy filling sandbags on Friday, July 1, to sandbag a private levee near Malta Bend.

Two layers of sandbags hold back water at in a low spot in the levee. Water continued to rise through the evening on July 1 and morning hours on Saturday, July 2.

Seep water has already claimed part of a corn field in the Malta Bend bottoms.

An unofficial marker keeps track of river levels. The river had risen to about 29.9 feet by Saturday morning, July 2. At about 6 p.m. on Friday it was at approximately 29.7 feet.