County dodges severe flooding, but warning continues

Emergency responders are keeping a close eye on the rain gauge but believe Bartholomew County may have avoided the worst with predicted thunderstorms and the heaviest rainfall tracking farther south along the Ohio River.

The county had received more than 1.5 inches of rain by midday Friday and more was in the forecast for overnight into this morning, according to the National Weather Service. Areas near the Ohio River are expecting up to 6 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.

Bartholomew County Emergency Management Director Shannan Cooke said a flood warning will continue for most area rivers through Tuesday, including the Driftwood River near Edinburgh, the Big Blue River at Shelbyville, the Flatrock River near Columbus and the East Fork White River in Columbus, along with the Muscatatuck River at Vernon in Jennings County.

She was checking the river gauges on Friday, saying they were bouncing around above and then below river crest, with the Driftwood expected to produce moderate flooding and the East Fork White and Flatrock expected to be producing minor flooding.

Rainfall totals of an inch to an inch and a half north of I-70 and 2 to 3 inches along and south of there over the past two days will combine with additional rainfall into Saturday to produce moderate river flooding along the lower White River and nearby tributaries, officials said.

Cooke said emergency management continues to be concerned about periods of heavy rainfall and those traveling through it, particularly at night when it’s difficult to see water ponding on the roadway and low visibility could lead to issues.

Mt. Healthy Elementary students had an eLearning day on Friday due to concerns about the effect of flooding on morning commutes.

Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. officials first communicated the news to parents and staff via ParentSquare, then shared a social media post at about 5:30 a.m. Mt. Healthy was the only school to go virtual; the rest of BCSC operated in person as usual.

BCSC Communications Coordinator Josh Burnett said that the decision was made out of caution, due to concerns about the safety of roads commonly used by Mt. Healthy families and school buses.

“Some of these roads have creeks and waterways that are continuing to rise,” he said. School officials hope that the rains and flooding will subside over the weekend.

Students and staff were prepared for the possibility of an eLearning day in advance, and the decision was made Friday morning.

Several portions of the People Trail system, including State Road 46, Mill Race Park, Northbrook, and Noblitt Park were expected to close due to high water and remain closed over the weekend. The city parks department said all areas will be reopened after the water has receded and crews have cleaned any mud and debris left behind.