Flash flooding hits midwest: Same system responsible for Friday's tornadoes brings excessive rainfall: September 23, 2006

ABOVE: Floodwaters threaten a railroad bridge in Corydon, Indiana

EXPEDITION VIDEO: Flooding in Corydon: Windows Media, 13MB

CORYDON, IN - On our return trip from Illinois, we encountered impressive flash flooding in Corydon, Indiana (near I-64 about 30 miles west of Louisville, Kentucky). Indian Creek was out of its banks and flooding many of the town's streets. The water was very swift and turbulent, and was roaring in many spots. The flood was threatening a railroad bridge in town, with water lapping at the bottom of the girders while large logs and pieces of debris jammed up against the supports. According to the locals, we arrived just after the crest of the flood earlier in the afternoon, the water only dropping about a foot from crest before we got there.

One of the most impressive sights in the floodwaters were the swells and reverse-breaking waves that dramatically rose and fell just downstream from spots where the water flowed over a large object. This display was the most impressive at the site of a small low-head dam north of town near I-64. A continuous area of huge breakers was followed by a large area of roaring water. There was a lot of power in that water, and was the kind of sight that makes me never want to be caught in a flash flood!