White River (IN) at Edwardsport

1. 29.40 ftA failure of Levee Unit #8 about one mile downstream of Edwardsport may flood Plainville as the water can go under the railroad bridge. An area from CR 900 N east to the Indiana Southern RR and south to U.S. Highway 50 may flood in Daviess County. More than 20,000 acres are possibly flooded by various depths of water. U.S. Highway 50 downstream acts like a dam as water pours over it in two places.
2. 29.00 ftNear record flood elevation is in progress. Breaking of levees would cause a major flood. Highway and railroad bridges are in danger of washing away. Water reaches the top of Levee Unit #8, locally known as the Bennington and the McGinnis levees. These levees protect thousands of acres of farmland and the town Plainville. Bicknell Water Treatment Plant needs sandbagging.
3. 27.00 ftSome evacuations are necessary in low areas of Edwardsport and Elnora. Water is at the top of levee protecting low areas of Elnora.
4. 26.00 ftMany agricultural levees overflow. Evacuations are necessary in northeast Edwardsport. Officials closely monitor Levee Unit #8. Many local roads are impassable. Rail traffic halts at Elnora. White River is over two miles wide at U.S. Highway 50.
5. 25.00 ftA possibly serious flood is in progress. Evacuations required of those in river cabins and in northeast Edwardsport. Flood levels are at critical levels. All roads except U.S. Highway 50 flood. Rail traffic halts near Elnora. Water level is at critical levels on levees. Local officials monitor levees.
6. 24.00 ftWater is at critical stage for major agricultural levees. All roads are underwater in flood plain except U.S. Highway 50. Evacuations are necessary from river cabins. All farmland on the unprotected sides of levees floods.
7. 23.50 ftIn March 2011...Daviess CR 150N...Washington Rd in Knox County...flooded around this level in Daviess County. Bottom Road in Knox County closed 2 days later at 23.75 feet on the Edwardsport gage. Numerous local roads in the river bottoms flooded in the Westphalia and Edwardsport area. Some residents use boats or hip waders to reach their residences.
8. 23.00 ftState Road 58 near Elnora floods. Water reaches Critical stage for McGinnis levee. Some residents leave river cabins if flooding will be long.
9. 22.90 ftA 25 foot section of Levee Unit 8 failed at this level on March 6 2011...flooding local roads behind the levee. Flooding not nearly as bad as June 2008 levee failure.
10. 20.00 ftWater is at critical levels for makeshift levees. Most of bottomlands flood. Old Vincennes road and State Road 358 between Plainville and Edwardsport are impassable by several feet. High water surrounds river cabins. This type of flood occurs on average about once a year.
11. 18.60 ftINDOT may close SR 358 between SR 67 at Edwardsport to SR 57 at Plainville due to flooding. SR 358 floods on the east side of the river between the levees.
12. 18.00 ftOld Vincennes Road and State Road 358 in Daviess County and Schaefer Road in Knox County are impassable. High water affects agricultural bottomlands. During agricultural season this level is of concern to farmers on the unprotected areas along the river. High water affects river cabins.
13. 17.50 ftFlooding closes Old Vincennes Road. High water crosses SR 358 on the Daviess County side just west of the levee. Flooding begins to affect higher bottomlands. Residential property of river cabins begins to flood.
14. 16.00 ftOld Vincennes Road and residential property in this area begin to flood. Flooding of low agricultural fields occurs along portions of the river.
15. 15.00 ftFlooding of low agricultural fields begin. Daviess CR 375 WN and North River Rd in Knox County located inside the levees are flooded.
16. 12.00 ftWater at this level prevents some fields from draining.

Chance of flooding, September to November

The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 22, 2026.

Most recent crests

• August 24, 2026: 20.45 ft
• June 21, 2026: 15.69 ft
• May 22, 2026: 21.48 ft
• March 9, 2026: 22.54 ft
• July 2, 2025: 16.00 ft
• June 12, 2025: 18.20 ft
• April 9, 2025: 26.86 ft
• April 16, 2024: 22.33 ft
• January 29, 2024: 15.07 ft
• April 7, 2023: 16.81 ft

• UpstreamWhite River (IN) at Newberry
• DownstreamWhite River (IN) at Edwardsport
• Smothers Creek (IN) at Plainville
• Busseron Creek at Carlisle
• Bee Hunter Ditch at Linton
• Wabash River at Vincennes
• White River (IN) at Petersburg
• White River (IN) at Petersburg

Forecasts by the Ohio River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available.

Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service.