Sightseers lined the water’s edge in Warren County from end to end Sunday, as the water rose past 2008’s levels on its way to a historic crest forecast a day earlier than expected.

Desma Singleton, of Jackson, thought it a fitting Mother’s Day to bring sons Jah and Javar Reese to glimpse backwater along U.S. 61 North and Mississippi 465.

“We visited their grandmother and stopped to see the water,” Singleton said as fishing lines flew through the evening sky, a sight duplicated south of town at LeTourneau Road. Both are closed to traffic, and LeTourneau became a boat launch for workers Friday.

The Mississippi River hit 51.9 feet in Vicksburg this morning, higher than the 50.9 feet reached three years ago. The river is forecast to crest at Vicksburg on May 19 at 57.5 feet, which would put it past the historic 1927 flood by 1.3 feet. Stages in Vicksburg have risen more than 8 feet in the past week. An earlier crest is now predicted because of slightly earlier crests on the Arkansas River, a usual indicator for the Lower Mississippi, said Marty Pope, senior service hydrologist for the National Weather Service in Jackson. The river was forecast to crest earlier than had been expected in Memphis, possibly tonight.

Levels at the Steele Bayou Control Structure were 89.7 feet on the land side and 100.9 feet on the river side Saturday night, meaning nearly 90-foot-deep water is being held north of the control structure on about 4,000 acres of farmland.

It was a time for dump truck drivers who have worked around the clock for a week to reflect and wonder where the overflow will go.

“Corn fields have flooded many times before, but it’s never been this bad,” Mark Carter said, taking a break from driving dump trucks up and down Warren County. The trucks crisscrossed the area over the weekend, delivering dirt mainly to businesses that have built levees around such plants as International Paper and Redwood Elementary School.

“You’re making money and you’re helping people,” Carter said. “I love it.”

Water formed lakes along 61 near McCool Woodyard and rose against the brushy barrier that parallels the Yazoo Diversion Canal and North Washington Street. Truck traffic to and from the port is taking its toll on North Washington Street, which has formed tiny craters. City officials have said truck traffic will continue on the usual truck route for now and alternate routes won’t come into play unless water covers the road.

Dirt haulers rolled through Ford subdivision at a dizzying clip as homes west of Young Alley sat submerged. Waltersville Estates, one of the Vicksburg Housing Authority’s largest complexes, remained dry off North Washington Street.

“I’ve been back here 50 years and seen it all before,” said a man unloading tires from a pickup he said he believes will be safe from water at the complex.

DiamondJacks Casino closed at 3 this morning while Vicksburg’s four competing casinos north and south protected gaming halls and parking lots with levees, sand bins and sandbags. International Paper closed Sunday, laying off most of its 296 workers. A massive sandbag levee and a barge blocked the tide at Ergon Marine, while the river surrounded Golding Barge Line’s main trailer. The business moved to higher ground near the Lee Street rail tracks last week. Riverfront Park was a higher and drier spot as children swung throughout the day.

South of town, a raised levee behind Green Meadow subdivision became longer. Businesses pooled resources last week to build old rail tracks 2 feet higher to head off floodwater shooting through an unfilled culvert behind Short Street.

Ponds around Baxter Wilson Steam Electric Plant became deeper, as did water in long sections of farmland and roadside ditches down U.S. 61 South at Yokena.

Flooding on part of the main access road to Grand Gulf Nuclear Station could cause longer trips for personnel and other vehicles, though Entergy does not expect the current crest to affect plant operations.