VIDALIA — River forecasters raised the projected crest of the Mississippi River forcing Vidalia town officials to begin plans to erect a temporary levee across a boat ramp on the Vidalia Riverfront to curtail floodwaters.

The river is now projected to create at 55.5 feet on the Natchez gauge on Sunday.

The river level on Tuesday was at 54.7 feet.

Vidalia Mayor Buz Craft said HESCO baskets would be placed along the boat ramp just south of Promise Hospital. At this time, Craft said officials do not believe floodwater would reach one of the town’s water wells, which is also near Promise Hospital.

“We just want to be prepared with it being Memorial Day weekend,” Craft said. “If anyone has any questions we will be glad to answer. We are staying on top of it.”

The town had previously put air bladders into drains on the riverfront to keep the water from going into the streets and also had placed pumps along the riverfront to pump water back into the river.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Col. Michael C. Derosier and others with the Corps visited Vidalia Tuesday for a previously planned tour, and they also looked at the riverfront, Craft said.

“They went over some of the things that are available to us, personnel and equipment,” Craft said. “They were very helpful.”

The rising river has also forced the closure of a portion of Silver Street in Natchez and D.A. Biglane Street as well as a number of Adams County roads in low-lying areas. Traffic on Silver Street has been converted into two-lane traffic to allow the businesses on Silver Street to remain open.

If the current crest projections hold, the flood will be significant, but far less than the record flood of 2011 when the river reached a level of 61.9 feet on the Natchez gauge.