The Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK —Flood water lapped over Arkansas 36 Friday night, closing the only road out of the small prairie hamlet of Georgetown and trapping residents for what could be as long as a week.

But with much of the town of 126 sitting high on a river bank, Fire Chief Eddie Stephenson spent Saturday morning push mowing the dry yard around his home.

“You just wait it out,” Stephenson said, taking a break. “That’s all you can do now.”

The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management said the body of a Stone County man was found Saturday downstream from where he was swept away Wednesday after his pickup truck got stuck as he tried to drive across a creek that had risen rapidly because of the rain.

A spokesman for the Stone County sheriff’s office said Ed Gower, in his mid 60s, was washed away by the power of the current when he got out of his truck.

Across Arkansas, rising waters began pouring into low-lying areas Saturday as at least one river hit its highest level in 90-odd years. The Arkansas River crested in Little Rock and points upstream at 22 feet, about a foot below flood stage in the capital city.

Down river in Pine Bluff, some residents along the river face the threat of waters entering their homes, said Steve Bays, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service at North Little Rock. The weather service predicted the river would crest at 42.7 feet there by Saturday night—nearly a foot higher than flood level.

“The water is getting close to the floor levels of some homes,” Bays said. “I know people are taking action to protect things by getting them up off the floor and moving them out.”

Wally Hunt, emergency management coordinator for Jefferson County, said there were “no more than 50” homes affected by the high waters around Pine Bluff, with most in two low-lying neighborhoods. He said county officials offered sand and bags for those who wanted them.

Otherwise, Hunt said most knew the water was coming and had prepared.

“They’re going in and out with boats, but have cars parked on higher ground,” he said.

The weather service projected much of the state’s severe flooding to hit northeast Arkansas. Rivers there, fueled by water pouring out of southeast Missouri, have flooded their banks in Newport and Pocahontas. Arkansas already was flooded since a slow-moving storm dumped up to 12 inches of rain during the first half of the week.

Bays said projections had the Black River at Pocahontas hitting 26.5 feet by Monday morning. The only recorded level higher than that came in 1915.

A dispatcher with the Randolph County sheriff’s office in Pocahontas said waters remained about 50 to 100 feet away from her office. She said there were no official reports of damage, but people worked on building sandbag levees Saturday morning.

In Augusta, the weather service estimated the White River to be at about 38 feet—12 feet above flood stage. A dispatcher said sheriff’s deputies had no initial damage report from the flooding, though several roads throughout the country remained shut due to flooding.

One person remained missing Saturday after high water swept a vehicle off a road in Washington County earlier in the week. In Independence County, officials say a state highway department employee died after being caught between two flooded roads and suffering a heart attack. Officials say ambulances couldn’t reach him in time to offer medical aid.

In Georgetown, Stephenson said about half the town evacuated to stay with friends and family before the flood water overtook the state highway. Georgetown sits on a natural levee along the White River, meaning most homes likely will be spared.

Those who stayed stocked up on bread, milk and other supplies in Searcy the day before, Stephenson said. Bays said the water could cut off the town for about a week before it subsides.

“If it’s over the road, you can’t get here,” the fire chief said. “It’s either got to be by boat or helicopter.”

The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management has already estimated damage to homes, businesses and infrastructure at $2 million. Forecasts show it will likely be the middle of next week before rivers statewide see significant drops.

Gov. Mike Beebe has declared 35 counties as disaster areas already—more than a third of the state. The list includes: Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Clay, Conway, Craighead, Crawford, Faulkner, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hot Spring, Howard, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Johnson, Lawrence, Logan, Madison, Marion, Nevada, Newton, Pope, Randolph, Scott, Searcy, Sharp, Stone, Van Buren, Washington, White, Woodruff and Yell counties.