Water levels at Wabash River still low

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Even after several rain falls this month, water levels on the Wabash river are still well below normal.

Large sandbars, exposed tree trunks and rocky banks uncovered in the middle of the Wabash river all after this summer's everlasting drought.

"The Wabash River is still pretty low. It is a little higher though than it was a few weeks ago but right now it's still low," DNR officer, Matt Tholen said.

Conservation officer Matt Tholen said water levels are the lowest he's seen in the nine years he's been working with the DNR. And Tholen said it's going to take quite a bit more rain for water levels to get back up to normal.

"Normal levels would probably be up another three feet from where we are right now," Tholen said. "During the summer time it always goes down a little bit. Hopefully this fall we'll have some water and get back up to normal pool for the Wabash River."

But Tholen said with some rain in the forecast this weekend, every little bit will help.

"Like we've seen the past couple of weeks, we got a little bit of rain which it raised it up a little bit," Tholen said. "If they are calling for 5 to 6 inches it's going to raise the Wabash levels up quite a bit but not to three or four feet like we want it at this time of year but it will come up."

And even when the water levels do come up, Tholen said next year, it could be another story.

"Certain years we get the drought and this is the worst like I said and then other years we get flooding so it just depends and thats the best thing about it," Tholen said. "The river and even the creeks and streams here in Tippecanoe County is that it changes."

Tholen said water levels at both Lake Freeman and Lake Shafer are back up to normal.