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Army Corps is Close to Decision on Missouri Levee
SIKESTON, Mo. (AP) -- Officials are close to a final decision on whether to blast open a Mississippi River levee in a bid to protect the Illinois town of Cairo (KAY-row) from rising floodwaters.

The Army Corps of Engineers said Monday it would announce its intentions at 5 p.m. CDT. If the corps decides to break the flood wall, the actual demolition is expected to begin about three hours later at the Birds Point levee.

Missouri officials oppose the move, saying it could inundate 130,000 acres of farmland and hurt the region's economy by covering the land under sand and silt and rendering it useless.

The corps and the state of Illinois say the demolition is crucial to relieving river pressure on the floodwall protecting Cairo.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
05 02 11 by Newsroom
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