Rock River continues to rise

Posted: Wednesday, April 17, 2013 11:34 am

With heavy rain in the forecast this week, water levels on an already-swollen Rock River and Lake Koshkonong were projected to continue surging higher.

The National Weather Service office in Sullivan has issued flood warnings along the Rock River at Jefferson, Fort Atkinson, Lake Koshkonong, Newville and Afton until further notice.

Water levels at Lake Koshkonong were at 11.62 feet as of 8 a.m. Wednesday morning and were projected to reach 11.8 feet after midnight on Thursday. Flood stage is 10 feet, and the National Weather Service considers water levels above 11.5 feet to be “major.”

If the forecast holds, water levels on the Rock River at Lake Koshkonong could be the third-highest on record, surpassing the 11.65-foot mark set on April 18, 2008. The two highest river crests were recorded at 12.23 feet on April 25, 1993, and 15.16 feet on June 22, 2008.

Water level forecasts take into account past precipitation and precipitation expected about 24 hours into the future from when the forecast is issued. The weather bureau is predicting 2-3.5 inches of rain will fall on South Central Wisconsin between Wednesday and Thursday due to a strong and slow-moving low pressure system.

In Newville, river levels were at 7.79 feet, surpassing the major flood stage mark of 7.5 feet. Flooding begins to occur at 5.5 feet. It was unknown how high the water could get in Newville because flooding forecasts are not issued for that location.

River levels can be monitored online at water.weather.gov.

The Rock County Sheriff’s Office on Monday said it was monitoring the flooding in several locations. In Mallwood Estates, Lake Shore Drive is closed from East Road 3 to East Road 7, and East Road 9 is closed from Ridge Road to the road’s end to the east.

Citizens in need of sandbags are encouraged to contact their respective town chairperson for pick up, the sheriff’s office said. Sand will be available for Town of Fulton and Town of Milton residents at the Rock County Highway Department sheds located at Highway 59 and North Sherman Road in Edgerton.

Residents are reminded to avoid traveling across high waters on roadways and report any hazardous conditions related to the flooding to Rock County Communications at 757-2244.