04/27/17 — River level to keep rising

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River level to keep rising

By Steve Herring
Published in News on April 27, 2017 8:54 AM

The Neuse Rivers reached its  flood stage of 18 feet early this morning and by 7 a.m. had climbed to 18.22 feet.

The river level is expected to continue to rise over the next five days, reaching 23.7 feet by Monday evening.

It could rise even further, according to the National Weather Service.

Moderate flooding is expected.

Minor flooding was visible by Wednesday afternoon in the area near the U.S. 117 South Neuse River bridge at Mar-Mac.

Water was rising as well Wednesday in the Hood Drive area of Grantham that was heavily damaged by floodwaters during Hurricane Matthew in October.

The river's record flood level of 29.7 feet was set in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew.

The flood warning for Wayne County issued over the weekend by the National Weather Service has been extended until further notice.

The river has risen more than 14 feet since Monday when it measured at 4 feet.

Widespread heavy rain over the weekend that continued into Monday and Tuesday resulted in local flash flooding across central North Carolina.

In Wayne County, a number of creeks and streams flooded sending water across several roads.

Those roads, which remained closed this morning, included Big Daddy's, Hood Swamp and Beaver Dam.

Buck Swamp, Capps Bridge, Bridgers and Claridge Nursery roads are closed because of flooding from the Little River.

Ferry Bridge Road has been closed because of  high water from the Neuse River.

Luther Thompson, state Department of Transportation maintenance supervisor for the county, said this morning that crews would check the roads flooded by the creeks and streams and that some could be reopened later to day.

High water warning signs could be placed on some of those roads, he said.

Crews will continue to monitor the roads, shifting attention to the Seven Springs area as the floodwaters move downstream.

There is a chance of more rain today with new precipitation amounts of between a tenth and a quarter of an inch are possible.

Higher amounts could be possible in any thunderstorms.

The seven-day forecast calls for a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. on Monday, with showers and thunderstorms likely between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. Tuesday.

Arrington Bridge Road and access roads around Seymour Johnson Air Force Base flood at 20 feet and at 21 feet, Riverview Trailer Park homes and Stevens Mill Road begin to flood, according to the according to Federal Emergency Management Agency data.

At 22 feet, flooding begins on the base and at 22.5 feet evacuation of some homes in the Mar-Mac area and possibly the Buckhorn Island subdivision may be necessary.

Strobe lights at the end of the base runway flood when the river reaches 23 feet.

At 26 feet, flooding threatens to close U.S. 117.