[Kyra Phillips, Cnn Anchor:] In Iowa, weary residents have done all that they can to stave off the rising waters of the Mississippi River. The Mississippi is expected to crest tonight, but the question now: How long until the water recedes? CNN's Lilian Kim is in Davenport, Iowa, where the levees and sandbags are holding, at least for now. Lilian, what's the latest?
[Lilian Kim, Cnn Correspondent:] Kyra, the Mississippi River here in Davenport, Iowa is expected to crest later tonight. That's when the wall of sandbags behind me will be put to the test. It's the city's only protection from all-out flooding.
[Unidentified Male:] The crest may stick around for more than two days. If that happens, the dirt portion of the wall, I'm told, may get saturated and we may have some problems there.
[Kim:] Davenport is the only major city along the upper Mississippi without permanent flood protection. City leaders say they want to maintain open access to the river, a big economic generator for the town: about $100 million a year. For residents and business owners, dealing with rising waters is a way of life.
[Unidentified Male:] I just have to realize, without a flood wall, that we're going to have water. And I don't really feel I feel pretty calm about it.
[Kim:] Still, the people of Davenport can only hope that the makeshift levees will hold and the rising waters will soon subside.
[Unidentified Female:] The variables are certainly what's going to happen with the water level out there in the river and what's going to happen with our weather. And we hope that the dikes will hold. And if that happens, then we'll be OK.
[Kim:] The river here is expected to crest at 22.5 feet. That makeshift levee stands at 23 feet. Now, so far, the Midwest floods, which have been going on for several weeks, have damaged more than a thousand homes. Reporting live from Davenport, Iowa, I'm Lilian Kim Kyra, back to you.
[Phillips:] All right, Lilian, thanks so much. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com