Flood Warning Issued for Ohio River at Newburgh Dam Affecting Parts of Indiana and Kentucky

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Paducah, KY, has issued a Flood Warning for the Ohio River at Newburgh Dam. The alert was issued on March 5 at 11:18 AM CST and is classified as a severe event with likely certainty, as minor flooding is forecast for the region.

Affected Areas

The warning specifically impacts the following geographic regions and counties:

• Indiana: Spencer, Vanderburgh, and Warrick Counties.
• Kentucky: Daviess and Henderson Counties.

Impacted locations along the Ohio River include Owensboro, Newburgh Dam, Evansville, Henderson, Mount Vernon, J.T. Myers Dam, Shawneetown, Golconda, Smithland Dam, Paducah, Olmsted Lock and Dam, and Cairo.

What You Should Do

Residents and motorists in the affected areas should adhere to the following safety guidelines:

• Turn around, don’t drown: Never attempt to drive through flooded roads. Most flood-related deaths occur in vehicles.
• Respect Barricades: Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or navigate cars through flooded areas.
• Avoid Hazard Zones: The recommended response is to avoid the flooded areas until the warning is lifted.

Expected Conditions

Minor flooding is forecast as the Ohio River rises above its banks. As of 10:00 AM CST on Thursday, the river stage was measured at 23.0 feet. The flood stage for this location is 38.0 feet.

According to the forecast, the river will rise above flood stage early Sunday morning and reach a crest of 38.4 feet on Monday morning. After a brief fall on Tuesday evening, the river is expected to rise again to 38.4 feet on Thursday, March 12, before falling below flood stage later that evening.

Timeline

The Flood Warning is effective starting late Saturday night, March 8, at 4:30 AM CST. The river is expected to remain in flood stage until it falls below the 38.0-foot mark on Thursday, March 12, at approximately 10:00 PM CST.