By Todd Hatton
Paducah, KY – The National Weather Service continues to forecast the Ohio River at Paducah will crest at 54 feet Wednesday, dropping slightly by Friday. As of this morning, the river is at about 53 and a half and has risen over three feet over the weekend. The City of Paducah currently has 37 of its 47 floodgates installed. Workers will begin installing six more gates today which will protect the city to a river stage of 56 feet. The Ohio River at Smithland is presently a little more than six inches shy of its predicted crest of 53 feet. Flooding at Cairo, Illinois is at 61 feet, a foot and a half above record flood levels set in 1937.