>> reporter: it's been four weeks since lumber operations seized and all resources went into building at the company's existing levee. up to eight feet higher in some places. now, they're constantly plugging, bagging and patching what the river gouges away. >> you can tell this is a patch deal here. we, our primary tarp was ripped. >> reporter: compounding the problem, river traffic, boats pushing barges upstream stir up waves that jones says has been doing some real damage. pounding away fragile dirt out of these levees. he calls it a battle of attrition because this water is going to stay high for weeks. the coast guard stepped in slowing boats down to a crawl. keeping them to the middle of the channel and spacing them far apart. a small bit of comfort for a family with five generations of success and a proud legacy at the mercy of a river. >> very humbling. very humbling and i think about