Forecasters and emergency officials now say that Columbus and Bartholomew County will be seeing major flooding in the wake of the heavy rain we have received since Wednesday’s storms.

But they also say this flooding should not be as serious as the 2008 flood, with the major impact for most people being travel restrictions on how to get into downtown Columbus.

According to river forecasts from the National Weather Service, East Fork White River at Columbus is expected to move from minor to moderate flooding this evening and then on to major flooding by early Sunday morning. The river should crest at about 17.4 feet, or almost a foot and a half above the major flood level by Sunday afternoon. It should drop back below the major flood level by early Monday morning, below moderate flooding by Monday afternoon and return to normal levels early Wednesday morning.

The crest is expected to be more than a foot below the 2008 levels.

Other area rivers are expected to see moderate flooding.

Bartholomew County Emergency Management says that the major flood levels could affect several low-lying neighborhoods including those along State Road 11 between Garden City and Walesboro, those along Southern Crossing, those along County Road 325W between Jonathan Moore Pike and Lowell Road, those on far South Gladstone Avenue and possibly Bethel Village.

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The biggest effect from the expected major flooding tonight will be on ways to reach downtown Columbus. State Road 11 and Southern Crossing are already closed, and Jonathan Moore Pike is expected to be closing overnight by rising waters. U.S. 31 on the south side of Bartholomew County is closed already at the Jackson County line by a bridge project there. Shannan Cooke, head of Bartholomew County emergency management says the only reliable ways to reach the city will be from U.S. 31 south from Edinburgh and from the east side of the county on State Road 46. Those already in the southern end of the county should be able to take U.S. 31 north of the road closing at the Jackson County line.

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Emergency officials warn that you should not drive around road closing signs. Even a foot of water is enough to sweep away a car while two feet can carry off an SUV or pickup. Cooke said that there have been numerous high-water rescues made today.