Duck River level now dropping

Duck River crested in late afternoon, with identical readings of 21.69 feet at 4:30 and 5 p.m., and has been dropping since that time, according to official measurements. The official forecast now calls for the river to continue to fall overnight.

At 10:30 p.m. Monday, the river had dropped to 20.26 feet.

The "action stage" level is 21 feet; flood stage is 25 feet.

Bedford County Schools are closed today due to high water

The Duck River at Shelbyville began rising again after dropping for most of the day Sunday. The river reached a stage of 19.36 feet at 3 a.m. Sunday but had dropped to as low as 11.39 feet as of 6:30 p.m. Sunday. It has been rising again since that time and was at 20.53 feet at 9:30 a.m.

Bedford County Highway Superintendent Stanley Smotherman said at about 4:40 on Sunday afternoon that rural roads were primarily in good shape and he knew of none that were still blocked by flood water.

"The good Lord just spared us, that's all you can say about that," said Smotherman.

Bedford County Emergency Management Agency director Scott Johnson reported in an e-mail to the Times-Gazette that almost 200 people took advantage of local storm shelters during Saturday's severe weather.

Johnson said the "biggest issue was the flash flooding and temporary closing of county and some city roads. The city/county joint Technical Rescue Team had to pull a man and woman from a car trapped in high water on Airport Road Saturday evening.

"After our high water threat receded, two Technical Rescue Teams from Bedford County also deployed to Rutherford County to assist in vehicle and home high water rescues. Red Cross was on standby to open a displaced persons shelter for flood victims. However, we did not end up with enough demand to open the shelter."

The Technical Rescue Team handled the water rescue after helping evacuate a family from a flooded Wildcreek Road home.

Several Shelbyville streets were flooded for approximately two hours during the height of Saturday afternoon's rains. One driver was trapped briefly after an unsuccessful attempt to drive his small car through high water on Sevier Street near the Colloredo Boulevard intersection, Shelbyville police reported.