As the Mississippi River continues to swell toward its expected crest later this week, the frequency at which higher flood levels seem to be coming cannot be ignored.

On Monday the river was at more than 56 feet on the Natchez river gauge and was forecast to reach a height of 57 feet on Saturday where it’s expected to stay for a while before beginning to fall again on March 22.

If the river stops rising exactly at 57.0 feet, it will be the fourth highest crest on record in Natchez. If it rises just 0.3 feet above 57, it will match the third-highest level.

Regardless of where this year’s seasonal flood winds up in the history charts — third or fourth — it will become the fourth crest in the last decade to make it to the top 10 highest historic crests.

That seems to indicate the river is getting higher more often lately.

Clearly as more of the upper Mississippi valley is developed and more rainfall and snowmelt makes its way into the river, the more frequent this will become.

But also, we challenge local leaders to press on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help us all understand the flood control measures in place, ensure they’re updated and modernized.

With almost each spring flood comes many questions, concerns and worries over flood control and river management policies, and rightfully so as lives and properties are at stake.

More information and understanding could go a long way to help ease concerns residents along the river have.