Flood waters slowly start to recede
Published 7:50 pm Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Catherine Gordon, Ellen Mitchell and Samantha Clark canoe in the flood waters at Bloch Park on Dec. 29. The Alabama River was at 48.61 feet at 11 a.m. Tuesday.
By Chelsea Vance and Emily Enfinger | The Selma Times-Journal
The river topped out at 49.58 feet about 9 a.m. Monday. That’s lower than the highest forecast, which at one time predicted 50.5 feet at the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
This week’s flood will end up being the 13th highest ever and highest since 54 feet on Jan. 19, 1992.
Selma residents were still out and about Tuesday taking photos of the water at Bloch Park and the Selma City Marina.
Tuesday evening Catherine Gordon, Ellen Mitchell and Samantha Clark went canoeing in the waters around Bloch Park and Valley Creek Park.
Gordon said she had gotten the idea from her dad the day before.
“We usually go to the Cahaba and canoe and stuff, but we thought, ‘Why not go here,’” Mitchell said.
Gordon said they wanted to stay out longer, but decided to come ashore as the sun was setting.
“We went to the battlefield and the bridge is almost completely underwater. So it was neat that it’s that deep back there,” Mitchell said.
Across the county, several roads remain closed due to flooding.
While County Road 184 was reopened, the Dallas County Emergency Management Agency say 191 and 155 have been closed.
Other closed roads include County Roads 17, 157, 946, 182, 326, 923, 924 and 951.
EMA Director Toya Siles said it may be another two or three days before roads are reopened. She said that she wants people to remember to be careful, cautious and to avoid all closed roads.
Although there have still not been any reports of any home flooding, Stiles said that there has been some flooding in East Selma near the R.L. Zeigler Company on Plant Street.
Dallas County Assistant Engineer Heath Sexton said expected rain Wednesday will affect when roads can be reopened.
“With all of the flooding and with the ground as saturated as it is, any rain could send the creeks, especially the Bogue Chitto Creek, up really quickly,” Sexton said.
The National Weather Service predicts the river will be back below 48 feet and in minor flood stage by Thursday morning and out of flood stage by Friday night.
