River rises past flood stage, may cause fast-paced flow
By John Joyce
Published in News on December 29, 2015 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Flood waters creep up under the back deck of Mustang Sally's Bar and Grill this morning as the Neuse River floods to more than 15 feet past its average depth of 4 feet.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
The water levels of the Neuse River crested just above 19 feet this morning. A combination of local precipitation and water released from Falls Lake has caused the river to swell to more than 15 feet higher than its average level.
The Neuse River near Goldsboro crested this morning at 19.32 feet, according to the National Weather Service in Raleigh.
Flood stages begin at 17 feet and continue on a scale of minor to moderate between 18 and 20 feet, respectively, with major flooding considered anything higher than 24 feet.
Although the river is expected to drop to a level between 16 and 17 feet throughout the remainder of the day, an inch to 2 inches of rain is expected over the next two days.
EZ Bait and Tackle owner Gary Bevell said the threat of flooding exists for some local roadways, but high water should not pose a real threat to any homes or businesses.
The true hazard is the pace of the water, he said.
"It's moving faster. If you fall in, you'll know it," Bevell said.
Bevell said the fishing report for the day is not great, the amount of freshwater that comes with the kind of rain the area has seen lately kill the fishing.
The freshwater then works its way toward the ocean and pushes the salt water back out to see.
"You go over to New Bern to them bridges, you won't catch no fishes," he said.
The National Weather Service forecast for Wednesday calls for widespread showers and isolated thunderstorms across the central part of the state, depositing an inch of rain -- in some areas, in excess of 2 inches is possible.
This could result in brief flooding of low lying areas as well as small creeks and streams.
As for the river, Bevell said that depends on what happens west of Goldsboro. In places such as Smithfield, Cary and back up to Raleigh, dams along the river hold back much of the water, and it is up to those municipalities when and how much water is released from their reservoirs.
No major flooding should be expected, he reiterated, but again the fast moving water poses the biggest threat. Bevell's advice: Unless your experienced on the river, don't go out there.
"The water is dangerous when it is this high," he said. He said the last thing anyone should do is take a child out on the water under these conditions.
"That is the last thing you want to do," he said. "If they fall in, you'll lose them."