Vicksburg and the rest of the lower Mississippi Basin could see additional flooding in the spring, thanks to El Nino, which is expected to produce more rain in the upper Mississippi Valley, a National Weather Service Meteorologist said Friday.

And Mayor George Flaggs Jr. said city officials may have to consider keeping portions of the recently completed floodwall up through the spring.

“We expect this (high water) to be around through April, May and some other months,” he said.

“Right now, we’re in a strong El Nino,” said Fredericks, who is under contract to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “It’s supposed to continue over the next couple of months and transition to a neutral phase in the spring time. We’re looking at record flooding right now for this time of year, and El Nino conditions generally tend to rain along the coast through the winter months and then they continue into spring all the way up into St. Louis. We’re looking at above normal precipitation as we get into the springtime.”

Fredericks’ comments came in response to a question about the potential for spring flooding during a press conference held in Vicksburg by five mayors who belong to the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative, a privately funded group of mayors that advocates for Mississippi River issues in Washington, D.C.

Presently, he said, “We’re looking at an above normal risk of spring flooding across the Mississippi Valley,” adding this year compares to the conditions that led to the 1973, 1983 and 1998 floods.

“In ‘73 and ‘83 you had significant flooding here in Vicksburg,” he said.

The prediction comes five years after the 2011 spring Mississippi River flood, which set a record crest of 57.1 feet, nine-tenths of a foot more than the 1927 flood. The river is expected to crest here at 52 feet Jan. 15.

Fredericks would not say if potential spring floods would reach the 2011 level.

“Nobody can really tell right now,” he said. “2011 was an extreme event. Extreme events, they all occur with extreme rainfall, like this one. We had extreme rainfall in December; it was the second wettest December on record in the contiguous U.S.”

Besides Flaggs, four other mayors from river towns in Louisiana and Mississippi attended the press conference to discuss the potential effects of the flood to their cities and the cooperation between the mayors of river towns from the northern part of the Mississippi Valley.

“As mayors north of us sustain impacts, they’re relaying valuable insight to us down the river,” said Vidalia, La., Mayor Hyram Copeland, the initiative co-chairman. “We’ve been able to learn what challenges they face, what response worked, what to look out for, and what else to expect.”

He said the initiative has improved communication between mayors along the river and strengthened relationships between city officials, the Corps and other state and federal agencies.

Concerning Vicksburg’s situation, Flaggs said city workers have completed closing the floodwall gates and building a floodwall across Levee Street, and sandbagging around the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Depot. “We are ready,” he said.

Greg Raimondo, public affairs chief for the Corps’ Vicksburg District said the Corps was at Phase II of its flood fight, checking levees 24 hours a day with the levee boards for problems.

Presently, he said, the levees “are looking good. We had 20 hot spots during the 2011 flood (and) we have permanent fixes in place at all of those.”