Counties declare local state of emergency in flooding

CHIPLEY – Washington County Board of County Commissioners declared a local state of emergency Thursday as heavy rains caused the Choctawhatchee River to rise. The local state of emergency would allow local government to have requests for assistance in place in case Gov. Charlie Crist also issues a state of emergency for the area in the wake of the bad weather that has caused river to swell, with conditions in the Ebro and Caryville areas of particular concern to local officials.

The Choctawhatchee was at 14.6 feet at 11 p.m. Thursday near Bruce and Ebro — well past flood stage — as meteorologists predicted a low-pressure system would move in from the gulf and dump 2 to 3 inches of rain across the Panhandle and the entire tri-state area. By early next week, the river could pass 21 feet in Bruce/Ebro, by National Weather Service estimates.

The NWS is currently predicting that the river could rise to 21.53 feet by Tuesday, Dec. 22. The river was at 15.34 feet Friday morning.

Flood stage is 13 feet. Major flood stage is 16.5 feet.

Florida Freedom News papers reported that a 21-foot stage would be the fifth-highest river stage in Bruce/Ebro’s recorded history, according to the NWS. The worst was July 11, 1994, when the Choctawhatchee swelled to 26.76 feet and hundreds of homes were damaged. Before that, the high was 25 feet feet in 1929.

Farther north, in Caryville, the river was at 16.1 feet at 11 p.m. Thursday and rose to 16.43 feet by Friday morning. It was expected to crest at 18.8 feet Sunday before inching back. That would be the fifth-highest crest ever. The last time it hit that mark was March 1998, when it topped out at 19.6 feet. The record was set March 17, 1929, in the so-called “Hoover flood” when it hit 27.1 feet.

Flooding rose to 23.85 feet in 1994, with such sever damage that the federal government instituted a buyout of flood-prone properties.

Flood stage at Caryville is 12 feet with 16 feet the moderate stage.

At 16 feet, water should begin to cover County 279 south of Caryville, as well as approaching nearby homes and fish camps, according to the National Weather Service. Flooding is not expected to be high enough to cut off Hwy. 90 at the Choctawhatchee River bridge.

Holmes Creek was expected to be at 15.62 feet in Vernon by noon Friday. Flood stage is 24 feet at that location.

The river was at 28.84 feet in Pittman in Holmes County Friday morning.

The river was at 30.94 feet in Geneva, AL Friday morning and was predicted to crest at 31 feet late Friday night. Geneva is protected by a new levee built in recent years under the direction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Holmes County also declared a local state of emergency Thursday

The Red Cross flood shelter in the New Hope community of Holmes County is closed as of 9:00 am today.

Update to Washington County road closings as of Friday morning

•Boat Ramp Road

•Summerhouse Road at the intersection of Bream Boulevard

•Douglas Ferry Road at 5893 Douglas Ferry Road

•Island Avenue

•Jenkins Road from 5401 Jenkins Road to the river