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Rain not expected to raise Rock River

JANESVILLE — The Rock River is on its way down—maybe.

Not terribly reassuring, but that's how Mother Nature works.

Flood warnings continue for the Rock River at Afton, Newville and Jefferson.

The river is predicted to slowly recede.

However—and there's always a however in forecasting—everything depends on the amount of rain we get in the next three days.

The Rock River tends to rise and recede slowly, explained Penny Zabel, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sullivan.

Off-and-on showers are predicted through Tuesday night. If our area gets about an inch more of rain, river levels will stay stable, Zabel said. But if we get 1.5 to 2 inches of rain, river levels could start to edge up again.

On Sunday night, the Janesville area received 0.08 inches of rain at the Janesville wastewater treatment plant.

As of 2:15 a.m. today, the Rock River in:

-- Afton was at 10 feet. Flood stage is 9 feet. Minor flooding is occurring in low-lying areas. The river is forecast to fall to 9.9 feet by Tuesday morning.

The highest the river has been in the past week is 10.21 feet.

-- Newville was 10.6 feet. Flood stage is 10 feet. Minor flooding is occurring. At 10.5 feet, the floodwaters reach Oxbow Bend Road. The river will fall to 9.9 feet by Friday morning. The highest the river has been in the past week is 10.76 feet.

-- Jefferson was at flood stage, which is 6 feet. Floodwaters are affecting some low-lying park areas. The river is predicted to fall below flood stage by sometime today. The highest the river has been in the past week is 6.44 feet.