Flood Warning Issued for Saint Joseph River Affecting Elkhart, Branch, and St. Joseph Counties

Alert Details

A Flood Warning has been issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) Northern Indiana. The warning is currently in effect and will remain active until Saturday, March 14, at 8:00 AM EDT.

Affected Areas

The warning affects the following geographic regions:

• Indiana: Elkhart County
• Michigan: Branch and St. Joseph Counties

The specific area of concern is the Saint Joseph River Michigan at Three Rivers.

What You Should Do

Residents and travelers in the affected areas should take the following precautions:

• Turn around, don’t drown: Never attempt to drive through flooded roads. Most flood-related deaths occur in vehicles.
• Avoidance: Stay away from flooded riverbanks and picnic facilities near the river.
• Monitor Updates: Detailed river forecasts and additional information are available at www.weather.gov/iwx.

Expected Conditions

Minor flooding is forecast for the Saint Joseph River. Recent rainfall across the river basin has caused water levels to rise.

• Flood Stage: The flood stage for this location is 7.0 feet.
• Current Level: As of 8:45 PM EDT on Wednesday, the river stage was recorded at 6.7 feet.
• Impacts: At a stage of 7.0 feet, minor flooding of the Scidmore Park picnic facilities in Three Rivers is expected.

Timeline

• Effective Date: Wednesday, March 11, at 9:27 PM EDT.
• Forecast: The river is expected to rise to flood stage early Friday morning.
• Duration: The warning remains in effect until 8:00 AM EDT Saturday.
• Long-term Trend: Following the crest, the river is forecast to fall to 6.2 feet by Monday morning, rise slightly to 6.3 feet Monday evening, and then fall and remain below flood stage.