Smothers Park in Owensboro and the entire town of Rumsey near Calhoun are both at risk of flooding over the next week as continued rainfall is expected to lead to significant rises in the Ohio and Green rivers.
The NWS has issued Flood Warnings for both the Ohio and Green rivers, with no official end date, citing uncertainty around additional rainfall and river runoff.
As of Friday night, the Ohio River at Owensboro was at 34.42 feet and climbing. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), it’s expected to surpass flood stage (40 feet) early Saturday afternoon, reach 46 feet by Tuesday morning, and crest at 46.8 feet by Friday. That would make it one of the top 10 crests ever recorded at Owensboro, just shy of the 47-foot mark last reached in 1948.
Flood impacts along the Ohio River typically begin with minor flooding at 40 feet, primarily affecting low-lying bottomland. At 44 feet, parts of Smothers Park begin to flood, especially neary the water features (which crews worked to protect on Friday) and the Overlook Stage. With a projected crest near 47 feet, the flooding would not reach all the way to Veterans Boulevard.
The highest stage ever recorded on the Ohio River at Owensboro was 54.8 feet in January 1937. The most recent crests above 46 feet occurred in 2018 (47.3 feet) and 2011 (46.3 feet).
The Green River at Calhoun is also rising rapidly. As of 10 p.m. Friday, the river was at 25.62 feet — already just above flood stage. It’s forecast to rise to 33.9 feet by Tuesday afternoon, reaching the threshold for major flooding and approaching some of the highest levels in recorded history. At that stage, much if not all of the town of Rumsey will be flooded, along with farmland across much of the area.
The highest stage ever recorded on the Green River at Calhoun was 43.75 feet in January 1937. The most recent crest above 33 feet occurred in 2011, when the river reached 34.01 feet.
Motorists are urged to avoid flooded roads and heed all posted warnings. “Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads,” NWS officials emphasized. “Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.”
