Following the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 , the levee system around Cairo was strengthened . As part of this project , the Corps of Engineers established the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway . The Ohio River flood of 1937 brought a record water level to Cairo that crested at 59.5 feet . To protect Cairo , Corps of Engineers closed the flood gate and blew a breach in the Bird 's Point levee for the first time to relieve pressure on the Cairo flood wall . Following the flood , the concrete flood wall was raised to its current height . It is designed to protect the town from flood waters up to 64 feet
Great Mississippi Flood of 1927
Great Mississippi Flood of 1927
Cairo, Illinois