Levees Hold at Davenport as Waters Crest

The Mississippi River crested Wednesday at Davenport, where the levees held and a war of words with the Bush administration’s top disaster official quieted--at least for the moment.

The river crested early Wednesday alongside this city of nearly 100,000 people at 22.3 feet, shy of the predicted peak of 22.5 feet and below the record crest in 1993 of 22.6 feet.

“Right now we’re sitting pretty good, though the crest will probably stick around for another few days,” said Kathe Watson-Arnould at Davenport’s City Hall.

Light rain overnight hindered those battling against the flood waters, although heavier rain predicted for the Mississippi’s headwaters in Minnesota could maintain the flow downstream, the National Weather Service said.

Four Midwestern states have declared disasters because of river flooding fed by melting snow and heavy rain.

The war of words between Davenport Mayor Phil Yerington and Federal Emergency Management Director Joe Allbaugh in Washington was smoothed over by a telephone call from Allbaugh to the mayor Wednesday.

Yerington reacted angrily Tuesday to Allbaugh’s suggestions that Davenport and other river towns may not have done enough to permanently protect their homes.

Yerington said he was alerted Wednesday that Allbaugh wanted to make peace and delay discussing permanent flood protection until after the waters recede.

Allbaugh is due here today.