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

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Northern Indiana has issued a Flood Warning for the Saint Joseph River at South Bend. The alert was issued on March 11 at 11:14 PM EDT and is expected to remain in effect until Monday morning, March 16.

Affected Areas

The warning specifically impacts the following geographic regions:

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

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 fatalities occur in vehicles.
• Avoidance: Stay away from riverbanks and flooded park lands.
• Stay Informed: Monitor local river forecasts and additional information at www.weather.gov/iwx.

Expected Conditions

Following recent rainfall, water levels are rising along the Saint Joseph River.

• Flood Stage: 5.5 feet.
• Current Status: As of 10:15 PM EDT Wednesday, the river stage was 4.8 feet.
• Forecast: The river is expected to rise above flood stage early Thursday afternoon, reaching a crest of 6.1 feet on Friday morning. It is projected to fall below flood stage by Sunday morning.
• Impacts: At a stage of 6.0 feet, flooding is primarily confined to park land and golf courses. Leeper Park and Petro golf courses are expected to begin flooding at this level.

Timeline

• Alert Onset: Thursday, March 12, 2026, at 12:00 PM EDT.
• Expected Crest: Friday, March 13, 2026, in the morning.
• Alert Expiration: Monday, March 16, 2026, at 8:00 AM EDT.
• Next Update: The NWS plans to issue the next statement on Thursday afternoon around 5:15 PM EDT.