John P. Boan/Times-Georgian

Despite the issuance of a flood warning for Whitesburg near the Chattahoochee River, weather and safety officials alike say it doesn’t pose a serious threat to life or property.

According to the National Weather Service, there is a river flood warning for areas of Carroll County that border the Chattahoochee River remaining in effect until Tuesday morning, at which point the river will drop once again below flood stage. As of 10 a.m. Monday, the river was at 15.7 feet, with the river reaching flood stage at 15 feet. At its level as of midday on Monday, the waters will breach the top of the boat ramps, said Jessica Fieux, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Peachtree City.

“Basically the river is starting to come out of its banks,” Fieux said. “It means we’re in minor flooding right now.”

The river is predicted to peak sometime Monday afternoon, she said, and from then until the warning ends at 6:08 a.m. Tuesday, the river will slowly recede to below flood stage. It is predicted to peak at just below 16 feet, which is the level at which the waters will cover the parking lot for the boat ramps.

Fieux said that although the rains stopped Sunday night and aren’t predicted to be back until after the warning expires, heavy rains over the weekend have caused a delayed rise downstream, prompting the issuance of the warning.

Though there is not major concern surrounding the rising river, Fieux said, residents are urged to take certain precautions, which include monitoring the river for swells and avoiding crossing any roads that may be flooded.

As of mid-afternoon on Monday, there had been only isolated flooding in the county, according to Tim Padgett, Emergency Management Agency director with Carroll County.

“We’ve seen some localized flooding in pastures and stuff there, but as far as anything with property [damage] or anything, no, we haven’t seen anything,” Padgett said. “Primarily, what we have through there is just pasture flooding. Most people have been living in that area, and they’re used to it. Really it’s not a big deal for us. It’s nothing like it was.”

On Sept. 20 and Sept. 21 of last year, a large portion of the state saw massive flooding that destroyed millions of dollars in property and cost 10 residents their lives. The damage done to Carroll County alone was estimated at exceeding $20 million. Padgett said the most recent rains pale in comparison to the late September floods, but emergency crews are monitoring the water levels closely just in case, and they’re urging residents to use proper caution. With high winds and saturated soil, the threat of falling trees is a real danger.

“We’re just keeping an eye on it along with the Whitesburg officials. We don’t expect any problems out of that,” Padgett said. “The main thing is to ask people to use caution. If a road is flooded, wait or turn around, and don’t drown.”

Padgett said the rains did cause minor road damage. Both Cumbie Road and Little Joe Road, both near Bowdon, suffered damage, though county crews would have both open by the end of the day on Monday, said Charles Pope, public works superintendent with the county. In addition, McIntosh Reserve has once again seen some damage, though it’s too early to say how much, Padgett said.

“The water is up but nothing like it has been,” he said. “We’re not too worried.”