Rising Waters: A Flooding Update for the Upper Tippecanoe River Watershed

Right now, many properties across our watershed and beyond are experiencing major flooding following recent rain events — lakefront properties in particular are significantly affected.

We’ve received many calls and questions about flood management. Below, we answer some of the most common questions and provide updates on boating restrictions.

Why are some lakes flooding, but not others? 

Watersheds determine where rainwater flows and how much water collects in any given area. We often compare a watershed to a funnel — and within each watershed, there are subwatersheds, smaller funnels nested inside the larger one.

The bigger the funnel, the more water it collects. Several lakes in our watershed — like Lake Tippecanoe, Winona, and Pike Lake — sit at the stem of these funnels, collecting all the rain that falls on the surrounding land.

To understand why some lakes flood while others don’t, it helps to look at a few local examples. 

On April 7, Lake Tippecanoe water levels were just one inch away from reaching major flood stage classification. This is largely due to the extensive network of land, streams, ditches, and other lakes that all drain into it. When that much surface area funnels water into a single lake, the lake level rises quickly.

Pike Lake and Chapman Lake offer another useful comparison. Both belong to the same subwatershed, yet their current situations are far different. Pike Lake is experiencing active flooding, while Chapman Lake has none. 

The reason comes down to watersheds: Chapman Lake has a small watershed— about 4,500 acres. Pike Lake, on the other hand, has a watershed size of about 23,400 acres and receives water from both Chapman Lake and the ~15-mile-long Deeds Creek, making it far more susceptible to rising levels.

The pattern is consistent across the watershed. Lakes that are flooding tend to have large drainage areas and multiple water sources emptying into them.

When will water levels crest (or peak) on my lake? 

Unfortunately, there is no way to accurately predict a crest. But as of today, water levels across the watershed are decreasing.

However, with rain still in the forecast, conditions could change. We recommend continuing to monitor conditions closely with resources like:

• stream level monitoring from NOAA
• mobile apps like FloodWatch that use United States Geological Survey (USGS) and National Weather Service (NWS) data.

What about boating restrictions? 

As of April 7, the Director of DNR has officially ordered temporary motorized boating restrictions on the following lakes in Kosciusko County:

On Lake Tippecanoe, Oswego Lake, James Lake, and Lake Wawasee, a person must not operate a motorized watercraft above idle speed.

On Kuhn Lake, Big Barbee Lake, Little Barbee Lake, Irish Lake, Sechrist Lake, Sawmill Lake, and Banning Lakes, a person must not operate any motorized watercraft.

Per IDNR standards, a boating restriction is put into effect when surface water conditions are likely to enter dwelling structures as a result of a wake.

Stay Updated

For the past 18 years, The Watershed Foundation has worked to keep you informed—collaborating closely with our local IDNR conservation officers to monitor the water levels and initiate the boating restrictions during flood conditions.

For more up-to-date information on flooding, boating restrictions, and more, follow our Facebook page.