News : EMA Director: Pay attention to Cedar River flood forecast

With another round of heavy rain passing through the Cedar River basin in the counties north of Vinton, the river is expected to rise above flood stage early Saturday morning and crest at 19.6 feet on Monday. Benton County Emergency Management Director Scott Hansen advises Vinton area residents and those who live near the river to stay informed. "The message today is: Pay attention," says Hansen. "The river will be coming up over the weekend. The forecast will change, and people need to watch the web site forecasts and the news. We will be getting information out as things change." This warning is "worth paying attention to," says Hansen. At 19.6 feet, the low-lying areas surrounding the Vinton Municipal Electric Utility will be under up to two feet of water, says Hansen. While many of the houses in that area were removed after the 2008 flood, there are still some residents and apartment buildings that would be affected. Click HERE to see the National Weather Service page that records and predicts Cedar River levels in Vinton.