Flood Warning Issued for Big Blue River in Henry, Rush, and Shelby Counties

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis IN has issued a Flood Warning for the Big Blue River at Carthage. The alert was issued on March 5 at 12:40 PM EST and remains in effect until March 6 at 11:22 AM EST.

Affected Areas

The warning primarily affects the following counties in Indiana:

• Henry County
• Rush County
• Shelby County

Specific impacts are noted for the Big Blue River at Carthage, including the southern outskirts of Knightstown and extreme eastern Raysville.

What You Should Do

Motorists are strictly advised not to attempt to drive around barricades or drive cars through flooded areas. Residents in the affected areas should monitor local conditions, as additional rainfall over the weekend and next week could lead to further flooding. Avoid flooded riverbanks and low-lying areas.

Expected Conditions

Total rainfall amounts of 3 to over 5 inches across much of central and southern Indiana have triggered this minor flooding event.

• River Stage: As of 11:30 AM EST Thursday, the river stage was 6.8 feet.
• Flood Stage: 7.0 feet.
• Forecast: The river is expected to rise to a crest of 7.8 feet this evening.
• Impacts: At these levels, local roads near the Big Blue River will flood. Water is expected to surround a few homes in Carthage, enter dog houses in southern Carthage, and affect a used auto parts yard. Water will also be present in yards in the southern outskirts of Knightstown and eastern Raysville.

Timeline

The Flood Warning is effective from the afternoon of Thursday, March 5, through late morning on Friday, March 6. The river is forecast to fall below flood stage late tonight.