ST. FRANCISVILLE - People in West Feliciana Parish are watching close and gearing up as Mississippi River flood waters continue to flow south.

For the past week Missouri has dealt with heavy flooding. In West Feliciana you can see the river rising, and even some tourists have stopped by to check out the mighty river.

"It's really mind-boggling, and to see it coming by with the strength it has and to imagine what it can do to our surroundings is really powerful," said Jim Hughey of Birmingham.

Cattle owners have already moved stock out of the area. Camp owners around Cat Island are moving belongings to higher ground.

"Well we're moving everything up stairs. We've had to move the lawn mowers, tractors, all the things you would normally have at the camp out of there to higher ground," said Melvin Harvey. "It takes a lot to move all of that out of there when you're only expecting water once every two years."

West Feliciana Homeland Security Director Brian Spillman expects the parish to flood much like it did in 2011. Spillman says the water will rise along the old ferry landing.

"In about three weeks we're going to crest in the spot we're standing now, and we'll have about twelve feet of additional water on top of what you see just behind me here," he said.

West Feliciana Parish has already declared a state of emergency.