Emergency Management in Gallatin County, IL is advising drivers on road closures

GALLATIN COUNTY, IL (KFVS) - The flood warning continues for the Ohio River at Old Shawneetown, Illinois.

The Ohio River was at 52.0 feet on Mar. 4 and is predicted to crest at 52.1 feet. The flood stage at Old Shawneetown is 33.0 feet.

Officials in Gallatin County, Illinois are keeping an eye on the river and are warning people to steer clear of high water.

Levees are being monitored at all times and more than 20-heads of the department from different agencies have been meeting every morning to make plans regarding the high levels of water.

Emergency Management Director Steve Galt spoke with Heartland News and said the biggest danger right now, is people driving into high water.

"The water is still raising, some people think it's been so long, oh a little water won't hurt, but it continues to raise here even though the river has crested," said Steve Galt, Emergency Management Director of Gallatin County. "The longer the water is at its height on this side, the more opportunity it's got to push up on the dry side. So the sooner the water crest and leaves us, the better the town will be."

If you live in the area or plan on traveling through, you're urged to be careful and take heed of any signs you see.

Water at the 52.0-foot mark is impacting the following: Sawmill Road entrance at Texico Lane in Junction, Peabody Road at the Peabody Bridge is open, but being monitored.

Volunteers from the U.S Forest Service are assisting with the levee in Old Shawneetown. Some sandbagging continues in Old Shawneetown.

The Little Wabash River is officially closed to boat traffic from the Illinois 141 bridge to the mouth of the Little Wabash River and Wabash River.

The Junction Post Office operations with their postmaster officially moved to the Shawneetown Post Office on Feb. 28 and will remain there for the duration of the flood.

Illinois 1 south of Illinois 13 is also closed.

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