More Roads Under Water

The number of roads in Kosciusko County that are high-water and impassable have almost tripled since Thursday.

According to Kosciusko County Highway Department road foreman Jeff Rohrer, the department has a list of 57 roads that they consider high water. Yesterday, the number of impassable high-water roads was 20. Two county roads are completely closed - County Road 1200S between Ind. 15 and Peru Road, and CR 1200N, east of West County Line Road from CR 1000W to the county line.

Warsaw Public Works Superintendent Lacy Francis said there are two streets shut down in Warsaw. Arthur Street in front of Hire Park is closed, but residents can still get to their homes.

The viaduct on Hand Avenue also is closed.

Sandbags have been taken out to Sunset Drive. There is a possibility Sunset Drive may have to be shut down because the Pike Lake water level is not leveling off. Francis said they started the sandbagging last night.

"The lake levels are rising pretty drastically," Francis said.

The roads around Warsaw still are drivable, however, he said. Francis said they are monitoring the Pike Lake and Winona Lake water levels but conditions in the city aren't nearly as bad as in Fort Wayne.

Since last night, Francis said, the Winona Lake water level rose 6 to 6-1/2 inches.

"Pike Lake is the worst we have to deal with," he said.

Dick Kemper, Kosciusko County Surveyor, said he thought residents should start seeing isolated pockets of water, especially around private or regulated drains, recede as long as there isn't more rain over the next couple of days.

"Lakes could still be coming up," however, Kemper said, as well as large streams before they go down.