January 12, 2005   Flood Crest Awaited Tomorrow River expected to hit 28.5 feet   Sheldon S. Shafer sshafer@courier-journal.com The Ohio River should crest early tomorrow in the Louisville area and fall below flood stage by Sunday, forecasters said yesterday. By Monday, all roads except perhaps River Road near the downtown wharf should be open. But first, crews need to "get all the mud and junk out of the way" left by the receding water, said Mike Callahan, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Louisville. By late this weekend, beach residents forced from their homes by high water should be able to begin returning, officials said. The weather service yesterday moved back the river's projected crest to early tomorrow morning. It's expected to peak at 28.5 feet on the upper gauge at McAlpine Dam, 5 feet above flood stage, Callahan said. That's the highest the river has been since the 1997 flood, when it crested at 38.7 feet. A revised forecast predicted no more than 2 inches of rain through tomorrow, which is good news to Bud Schardein, the Metropolitan Sewer District's executive director. "The longer and harder it rains, the more problems we could have," he said. Thirteen of 16 MSD pumping stations were operating yesterday, pushing storm water into the river to keep it out of the sewers. Steve and Susan Miller were sticking it out at their three-story riverside home on Transylvania Beach, even though most of their neighbors had moved out. Susan Miller said the couple parked their two vehicles on dry ground at the end of Mayfair Avenue. For the past few days the routine has been to use either their kayak or their canoe to get from their home - with its lower level flooded - to the vehicles. "You do what you have to do," she said. "You don't live on the river unless you are prepared to deal with it." Louisville Fire & Rescue used a firetruck to pick up an unidentified motorist stranded in nearly a foot of water at Edith and River roads at 11:20 a.m. yesterday. Dispatchers said a rescue boat wasn't needed. Much of Upper River Road remained under water, and access roads to Waldoah, Juniper, Transylvania and Beachland beaches were flooded. Jim Adkins, metro public works director, said that it appeared that the Third Street ramp off westbound Interstate 64 would stay open, although River Road has been closed between Third and Seventh streets. He said works crews would begin cleaning roads with rubber-bladed plows when they still have an inch or two of water on them. Metro Parks closures included Carrie Gaulbert Cox, Twin, Eva Bandman, Thurman Hutchins and the Louisville Soccer parks, along with Caperton Swamp. Shawnee Golf Course was closed, but the clubhouse was open. Much of the Great Lawn at Waterfront Park also was flooded. The Ohio River yesterday was above flood stage from Ashland to its mouth at the Mississippi, the weather service said. The Ohio had reached 43 feet yesterday morning at Evansville, Ind., a foot over flood stage. The river was expected to crest there Sunday at 43.6 feet, said Mary Lamm, a weather service hydrologist at Paducah. Downriver, the Ohio had risen to 42.1 feet by midmorning yesterday at Paducah and was expected to crest at 47.5 feet Monday morning, Lamm said. Flood stage there is 39 feet. Forecasters predicted another 1 to 2 inches of rain in Western Kentucky today and tomorrow. The five-day forecast calls for much colder weather after tomorrow, with high temperatures in the 20s and lows near 10 in Louisville this weekend, followed by a slight warming trend. There is little chance of precipitation through early next week for the Louisville area, forecasters said. The Associated Press contributed to this story. Roads closed River Road: From Third to Seventh streets From Indian Hills Trail to Blankenbaker Lane At Zorn Avenue intersection and east From Glenview Avenue to Lime Kiln Lane At Goose Creek Bridge West of Juniper Beach Road East of new Captain's Quarters Drive Other closings Adams Street near Witherspoon Street Bingham Way (at floodwall) Blankenbaker Lane, south of River Road Campbell Street near Witherspoon Street Frankfort Avenue near River Road Juniper Beach Road Katherine Station Road, at bridge Mockingbird Valley Road, between River Road and Mellwood Avenue, and under Interstate 71 Overbrook Drive, south of Lake Dreamland Road Riverside Drive East Riverside Drive West Riverside Drive Transylvania Beach Road Waldoah Beach Road Witherspoon Street near River Road By Sam Upshaw Jr., The Courier-Journal A Louisville Gas and Electric Co. worker walked across a road that was slowly being covered by water yesterday at Hays-Kennedy Park near Prospect. He was heading to a residential area to make sure that gas meters were not submerged as the Ohio River rose. Debris from the Ohio River littered River Road in front of the Louisville Boat Club yesterday. The river is at its highest since the 1997 flood. But if forecasts hold true, many roads should be open again by Monday.