Most rivers won’t crest for another day or two

Tribune Staff Report

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St. Joseph River flooding at Howard Park in South Bend

The St. Joseph River is over the wall at noon Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2008, at Howard Park near the Jefferson Street Bridge in South Bend. (Tribune Photo/GREG SWIERCZ)

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Jan 10, 2008 at 12:42 PM EST

Story Updated: Jan 10, 2008 at 12:51 PM EST

In most area towns, it’s likely to be another day or two before area rivers reach their crests, the National Weather Service is reporting.

The NWS office in North Webster predicted on its Web site Thursday morning that the Yellow River in Plymouth would crest at 15.4 feet, or 2.4 feet above flood stage, at 1 p.m. Friday.

That’s also the date and time the St. Joseph River in South Bend is expected to reach its peak. The crest in South Bend is likely to be 9.8 feet, or 4.3 feet above flood stage.

In Niles, the St. Joseph River is expected to crest at 1 p.m. Thursday at 14.3 feet, or 3.3 feet above flood stage. The good news is a crest of 14.9 feet had previously been forecast.

The Elkhart River has started to recede in Goshen but it and the St. Joseph River will remain high in Elkhart.

Mike Pennington, deputy director of emergency management in Elkhart County, said Thursday morning, "In Goshen, we’re kind of settling down."

But with the rivers in Elkhart not likely to crest for a while there could be more trouble there.

B.J. Simpson, from the National Weather Service, said the Elkhart River crested in Goshen at 10.07 feet at 10 a.m. Wednesday. It was down to 8.54 feet by 10:20 a.m. Thursday.

The Elkhart River was flowing at four feet before recent rains and will remain in flood stage until it drops below seven feet.

Simpson said the Elkhart River will remain high in Elkhart because it "sort of backs up" when it hits the already flooded St. Joseph.

The St. Joseph River is expected to crest in Elkhart at 26.30 feet early Saturday morning. The St. Joseph was flowing at about 20 feet before the recent rain. Flood stage is 24 feet.

Projected crests are as follows:

  • St. Joseph River, Three Rivers, 9.5 feet at 1 a.m. Saturday. Flood stage is 7 feet.
  • St. Joseph River, Elkhart, 26.5 feet at 7 p.m. Friday. Flood stage is 24 feet.
  • Yellow River, Knox, 13 feet at 6 a.m. Saturday. Flood stage is 10 feet.
  • Yellow River, Plymouth, 15.4 feet at 1 p.m. Friday. Flood stage is 13 feet.
  • St. Joseph River, South Bend, 9.8 feet at 1 p.m. Friday. Flood stage is 5.5 feet.
  • St. Joseph River, Niles, 14.3 feet at 1 p.m. Thursday. Flood stage is 11 feet.

    Stay with WSBT.com and The South Bend Tribune for weather and flooding updates.

    Check the status of water levels in local rivers.

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