08/15/2026
With recent heavy rainfall, water levels across the district are extremely high, and multiple roadways in the Grape Creek and Hawbuck areas are currently under water.
Even if rainfall tapers off, water levels in these low-lying spots may continue to rise or stay submerged due to Backwater Flooding.
🌊 Why Roads Are Flooding Here:
Local runoff from our neighborhoods drains into Grape Creek, Hawbuck Creek, and surrounding ditches, heading toward the Vermilion River and ultimately the Wabash River.
Because the Vermilion and Wabash are swollen from heavy rainfall downstream, they are completely full and acting like a bottleneck. Water coming out of Grape Creek and Hawbuck can no longer empty into the river system normally. Instead, water gets pushed backwards, inundating local roads, fields, and low-lying properties.
⚠️ What Drivers & Residents Need to Know:
Water may keep rising: Backwater flooding often crests hours or days after the rain stops as upstream runoff continues flowing down.
Road shoulders & ditches are invisible: Water on rural roads hides deep ditch lines, washed-out pavement, and soft shoulders.
Water recedes slowly: Roads will remain impassable until main river levels drop enough to allow local tributaries to drain.
🚨 Safety Reminders from the Westville Area Fire Protection District:
Turn Around, Don't Drown: Never drive past high water barricades or attempt to cross flooded roadways. It takes less than 12 inches of moving water to carry a vehicle away.
Do not drive around "Road Closed" signs: They are placed to protect you from unseen hazards under the surface.
Keep back from swollen banks: Saturated ground along Grape Creek and local drainage channels can easily collapse.
Our crews are actively monitoring roads and water levels across Grape Creek, Hawbuck, and the entire district. Please slow down, drive with extreme caution, and call 911 for any emergency!
