NATCHEZ — Area leaders and flood watchers have little choice but to wait and wonder what historic floodwaters may leave behind.

Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland said he is concerned about significant damage to city infrastructure, but doesn’t yet know what the toll may be.

In Natchez, City Engineer David Gardner knows erosion is occurring on Silver Street and Roth Hill, but can’t see the extent of it.

Meanwhile, barge traffic on the Mississippi has resumed, leaving the owners of J.M. Jones worried about the effect of wakes on their levee.

The river sits at 60.9 now, and will creep toward 59 by week’s end.

North of Natchez, water continues to recede. Robert Simrall, chief of water control for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Vicksburg, says the Yazoo dropped 6 inches since cresting May 21.

Editor’s note: Since the Mississippi River reached its crest late last week, The Democrat will now do one midday update at approximately 3 p.m. each day until river worries wane. This update will replace the noon and 5 p.m. updates, however breaking news will be posted as it happens.