WIll 2008 Repeat Itself?

RIVERS RUN THROUGH IT — National Weather Service office meteorologists in Sullivan said Tuesday that Jefferson County is vulnerable to flooding through June.

From Jefferson to Newville along the Rock River there is nearly a 100-percent chance of reaching moderate flood levels. Area residents who live along the Rock or Crawfish rivers should be concerned about any thunderstorms between now and June.

Last year, water levels reached record-setting levels after the state was inundated with heavy rainfall in early June. Flooding started early this year due to the deep frost levels and early snow melt.

National Weather Service meteorologists said conditions are ripe for significant flooding in southern Wisconsin again this spring. The Rock and Crawfish rivers are among the areas of the concern.

Shown above is an aerial view of the convergence of the two waterways in downtown Jefferson. The Crawfish River is in the upper left portion of the image, merging with the Rock River after passing beneath the Wisconsin Drive bridge. The Rock River cuts across the middle of the photo, over the Jefferson dam and past the Tyson Foods Inc. plant at the bottom of the image. In the center is a small island under water. — Photo by Tom Boos.