Floodwaters to recede Sunday

Saline County Sheriff Keith Brown is ready to breathe a sigh of relief concerning flood season 2015.

"We had only stranded vehicle about a week ago in the Texas City area. An Illinois Department of Conservation officer used his boat to rescue the motorist. Other than that it has been pretty quiet," Brown said.

"We expect from National Weather Service reports the crest will be Saturday and the water will start receding on Sunday. It was 48.12 feet at Shawneetown at 1 p.m. Thursday."

He said he was grateful there had not been much rain Wednesday and Thursday.

"Most of our high water was in the Stoneface area towards Glen O. Jones Lake. Texas City also. They are all low areas. There was some high water around Rector Creek and state Route 142 as well," Brown said.

A barge towing vessel sank in the Ohio River near Golconda Wednesday. Coast Guard Sector Ohio River Valley watchstanders received a report the towing vessel David Dunnigan sank while working near mile marker 897.5 about 8 p.m. The vessel reportedly capsized, sank and drifted downriver and it's location was unknown as of Thursday afternoon.

Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley Captain of the Port, Capt. Richard Timme, restricted vessel operations from mile marker 896.5 to mile marker 900 on the Ohio River as a precaution until the position of the vessel is determined. The vessel is reported to by carrying an estimated 3,000 gallons of fuel oil on board. Personnel from Coat Guard Marine Safety Unit of Paducah, Ky., are on the scene and will supervise response and recovery efforts. There were no injuries due to the sinking. The cause of the sinking is under investigation.

A U.S. Coast Guard spokeswoman said the river has since reopened to traffic.

The U.S. Coast Guard Web site stated a coal barge also sank near Rosiclare with no injuries reported.