NATCHEZ, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
The Mississippi River in Natchez has dropped just over a foot since cresting last Friday.
The high water levels still pose a threat to levees built recently for the flood.
At J. M. Jones lumber the levees are constantly undergoing stress from passing barges.
The business sits well below the current river level, and would be destroyed if the levees were to break.
Barge traffic on the river has been slowed down to 3 miles-per-hour to prevent waves from hitting the shoreline.
Across the river in Vidalia, Louisiana businesses outside the levees are withstanding the flooding well.
The sandbags have prevented water from entering any of the buildings, saving a $65 million waterfront.
On historic Silver Street in Natchez, the restaurants under the hill remain open for business.
The floodwaters barely came high enough to touch the sandbags there.
Business owners say they spent $150,000 protecting the historic buildings.
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