A flood warning continues for the Ohio River at Old Shawneetown.
The river level at 9:30 am Monday morning was at 47.75 feet and is still predicted to crest at 53.8 feet on March 4th.
Gallatin County EMA Director Steve Galt, has been meeting with officials from all the communities in
the County this morning, to assess the needs for today and the upcoming few days.
“We are using some of the data we collected from the 1997 and 2011 floods, to help prepare for this year’s flood,” said
Galt. “The prediction for the crest later this week, puts flood waters up to near those recent floods and
basically, we are urging residents that had flood water effecting them, back then, they need to start
preparing now,” continued Galt.
Several local back roads are already covered with water and as the river level approaches fifty (50) feet
a lot of the larger county roads will become covered as well. Including Illinois 1, south of Illinois 13.
Pumps are running in Old Shawneetown, and walking of the levee will ramp up once the river level
also reaches 50 feet.
No large scale sandbagging operations have begun, but will become more active in the next couple of
days.
People are urged not to drive around barricades or through flood waters.
