Corps of Engineers raises floodfight response to Phase II

MEMPHIS, Tenn., March 14, 2011 – The Memphis District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
initiated Phase II floodfighting activities at 9 a.m. on March 12 due to high Ohio River stages. The area
of flooding is located in the northern portion of the Memphis District in and around Cairo, Ill, and New
Madrid, Mo.

Phase II floodfight activities begin when the river gage at Cairo, Ill., reaches 52.0 feet with a
sustained rise forecasted. As of 9 a.m. on March 14, the river stage at Cairo is 52.6 feet with a prolonged level of 52.5 expected. The river stage at Cape Girardeau, Mo., at 9 a.m. on March 14 is 33.1 feet with a slow but steady fall expected. Flood stage at Cape Girardeau is 32.0 feet.

In response to these river stages, Memphis District Commander Col. Vernie Reichling initiated
Phase II operations at 9 a.m. on March 12.

During Phase II floodfight activities, Corps of Engineers personnel begin more intensive
monitoring of flood control works including levees, floodwalls and pumping stations. They also make
technical and materiel assistance available to local communities and flood control organizations to aid
them in their floodfighting efforts.

As part of their routine Phase II response efforts, the Memphis District has established field
offices in Cape Girardeau, Mo., and Dyersburg, Tenn., with nine field personnel assigned to each office.

Additionally, the Memphis District’s Caruthersville, Mo., Area Office has nine field personnel assigned
to their area of responsibility.

At Corps District Headquarters in Memphis, the Corps’ Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
has gone to Activation Level III with elevated staffing to provide Command and Control support for the
response effort. The EOC is staffed 12 hours per day, with personnel on call 24 hours per day.

The Corps’ Division Headquarters in Vicksburg, Miss, coordinates all floodfight activities in the
Mississippi Valley. The Corps’ Emergency Operations Center in Memphis is directing these floodfight
activities in conjunction with the affected states, levee districts and other local interest groups.

The Federal flood protection works in the Mississippi Valley protect many thousands of homes,
millions of lives and vast tracts of fertile cropland. The Memphis District’s flood control system has
prevented more than $4.3 billion in flood damages and protected more than five million acres of
cropland in the last decade alone.