Flooding in Morgan, Monroe, Owen, Brown closes roads, travel warnings issued
This article will be updated.
Flooding caused by heavy rainfall hit several counties across south-central Indiana Saturday morning. Follow along for live updates.
Morgan County is under a travel warning; residents are asked not to travel. Owen County is under a travel watch; residents are asked to travel only for essential purposes.
More rain is expected Saturday and Sunday, per NWS Indianapolis.
More: How to check which Monroe County, Indiana, roads are closed for flooding
Lake Lemon cut off by flooding Saturday morning
Low Gap Road just before Malhalasville Road in the Lake Lemon area is flooded. A local resident reports the flood gates are closed meaning those with boats won’t be able to get out to assist with rescues.
Lake Lemon resident Ryan Greb planned to drive into work in Indianapolis Saturday morning but quickly realized even with his four-wheel drive pickup truck, with rims that are raised 12 inches, he wouldn’t be making it out of the area.
“There is no way in or out,” he said Saturday morning.
All roads in the Lake Lemon area, including North Shore Drive, are impassable, he said.
Greb warned people not to try to leave the area. He tried, he said, and water swapped over the hood of his truck.
Roads in and out of the Lake Lemon area in Monroe County are impassable with a resident estimating around 9 a.m. the water on roadways was 3-4 feet deep in low lying areas.
He also cautioned that even fairly shallow water is carrying a lot of debris, and people who try to drive through shallow water may run into felled trees or large stumps.
Greb said he saw flood water rushing around a house that made it look as though it was “sitting in the middle of the lake.”
For now, residents are on their own, he said, because even large vehicles, such as fire trucks, will have a tough time getting through.
“There’s no way for them to get in,” he said.
Owen County distributing sandbags, said culverts burst in flooding
Owen County’s EMA director Jack White said Owen County residents can pick up sandbags from the county highway department, 2032 N. US Hwy 231, in anticipation of continued rain. Owen County remains under an “orange” travel warning; residents are asked to only travel for “essential” purposes.
White said the rain picked up between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. last night, causing culverts to blow out and several roads to be washed out. White said the county EMA has already assisted in six water rescues. White was told by NWS Indianapolis that the county received 4 inches of rain overnight.
Ellettsville flooding and water rescue
Downtown Ellettsville was flooded about 1:20 a.m. Saturday, April 5, 2025. Some residents of apartments at Sale and Main streets were evacuated by the Ellettsville Fire Department.
Firefighters with the Ellettsville Fire Department helped two people escape their flooded homes during the night to Saturday, Ellettsville Town Manager Mike Farmer said.
“We had a massive rain last night,” he said.
He estimated the rainfall exceeded 5 inches, and the deluge forced officials to close westbound Ind. 46 for a couple of hours — though all roads in Ellettsville were passable again by 7:30 a.m.
Some side roads remained closed, however.
Farmer said he believes the town experienced a flash flood, as the water rose very quickly, and lots of water rushed down Jacks Defeat Creek.
The intersection at East Main and North Sale streets was under water, and the old town hall, on the western side of the intersection, flooded. Across the street, water partially submerged a couple of vehicles that had been parked at Thurman’s Body Shop.
Farmer said some water also entered the street department and utility building, causing minimal damage.
The last rainfall of this magnitude, in 2019, caused a lot more damage than this one, he said.
“It could have been a lot worse,” he said.
Morgan County under travel warning, nearly 80 roads cut off by fast-moving water
Abby Worth of Morgan County’s Emergency Management Agency (EMA) said nearly 80 roads remain closed throughout the county due to fast-moving water. Worth said EMA has already conducted multiple water rescues at homes where the basement or first floor flooded. She said the county EMA is actively distributing sandbags to residents as more rain is expected Saturday and Sunday.
Morgan County is under a “red” travel warning; residents are asked to refrain from travel and comply with all emergency measures. Worth said residents can call 211 or visit in211.org to report damage caused by flooding/storms.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Flooding from storm live updates Morgan, Owen, Brown, Monroe counties
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