Fishers crews worked three days of water rescues, aided neighboring towns, mayor says

Mayor Fadness, speaking at a Sunday news conference

Fishers first responders spent much of Thursday through Saturday pulling people out of floodwaters — both inside the city and in neighboring communities — Mayor Scott Fadness said in an update on the city’s flood response before the City Council Monday night.

While Saturday drew the most public attention, Fadness said the effort actually began early Thursday morning, when Fishers firefighters were dispatched to the Pendleton area and performed water rescues for most of the day.

That evening, after crews returned home, a resident called Fadness to report that water was running unusually high and fast through a Fishers neighborhood. Crews went out again and conducted a rescue operation that pulled five people from floodwaters.

At the same time, Fishers was sending resources to other communities, including Hamilton County partners and Tipton.

The night did not end there. Around 2 a.m., after the local rescue wrapped up and displaced residents were being sheltered, another call came in from the Lapel and Anderson area, where several people needed rescue. Fishers firefighters headed back out.

“A lot of those individuals literally went about 24 hours straight,” Fadness said.

By Friday, with residents sheltered, the city shifted to watching the White River ahead of the expected crest. Only a handful of Fishers homes sit directly adjacent to the river, Fadness said, and crews went door to door with those households to discuss evacuation. Some residents left; others chose to stay.

Saturday brought another round of rescues, this time involving the fire department, a police dive team and the Department of Public Works. The last person was pulled to safety around 2 or 3 p.m., Fadness said.

A small number of displaced residents remain in hotels, in part because shelters could not accommodate pets.

The city is now turning to recovery. Public works crews are taking the lead on distributing resources and information, including cleaning supplies for residents beginning to dig out. A staff member in the mayor’s office with FEMA experience is leading documentation of damage for potential reimbursement.

Damage to public infrastructure is not significant in Fishers. Fadness said Hazel Dell Parkway in Carmel is expected to remain closed for the foreseeable future, with the river having effectively rerouted itself in one location. Two city parks along the river sustained damage, though he said other facilities came through largely intact. Crews walked every affected road, and Fadness said no industrial or hazardous-materials problems were found.

Fadness described surreal scenes from a bridge over the river — a propane tank off-gassing in the current, 30-foot trees washing downstream and horses running loose on a nearby street. Rescuers also lost a boat motor during Saturday’s operations; a local marina supplied a replacement so crews could keep working.

The mayor said many of the people Fishers crews helped do not live within city limits.

“They’re not afraid to jump in regardless of who they are,” he said. “They’re neighbors nonetheless.”

Fishers Council tables Citizens State Bank rezoning; branch now in doubt

There is now a real question as to whether Citizens State Bank will open another branch in Fishers.

The Fishers City Council voted Monday night to table a rezoning that would have cleared the way for the financial institution to build a banking center on the north side of 116th Street, just west of Olio Road — sending the proposal back to the administration with no guarantee it returns.

The petition covers a small parcel at 13562 E. 116th St., a lot of less than an acre that was rezoned from residential into the Drive Planning planned unit development by a 9-0 council vote in January 2024. The bank has been working to amend that PUD to allow a single-tenant, owner-occupied banking center of up to 4,500 square feet, capped at 24 feet in height, with fewer than 30 parking spaces and heavy landscaping intended to keep the building at a residential scale.

The bank has already given ground once. When the proposal first came before the council July 20, several members were openly skeptical about drive-through banking at that location, and neighbors in the surrounding subdivisions raised objections. Citizens State Bank removed the drive-through entirely from its revised plan, and the Fishers Advisory Plan Commission responded with a unanimous favorable recommendation on Aug. 5.

That was not enough Monday night.

Council members who spoke voiced serious concerns about eastbound traffic on 116th Street attempting a left turn into the parking lot, given the placement of the median. Traffic engineers who reviewed the site did not foresee a problem with the left turn — but the council was not persuaded. Some members also pressed the bank to drop signage from the building itself.

A motion was made to approve the rezoning with two conditions: removal of the building sign, and a right-in, right-out access restriction that would eliminate left turns into the banking center altogether. Bank officials told the council flatly that those restrictions were unacceptable.

At that point Mayor Scott Fadness suggested the council table the issue and give his staff an opportunity to find a creative solution. The council passed the motion to table unanimously.

The bottom line: there is no certainty the branch will be built at that location.

(Disclosure: Citizens State Bank sponsors the LarryInFishers podcast series.)

In other items before the council Monday night

Two DORAs approved. The council signed off on designated outdoor refreshment areas for two parts of the city — the Nickel Plate District downtown and the Fishers District south of 116th Street (see maps below). Hours of operation are set at 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Inside a DORA, patrons may carry alcoholic beverages purchased from participating establishments in marked, nonbreakable containers within the mapped boundaries. The districts are not official until the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission acts on them.

Buckhaven approved 8-1. The residential development on 131st Street near I-69 won approval over the lone no vote of Councilor Brad DeReamer, who cited concerns about setbacks. The Pulte Homes project, which received its first reading in May, calls for roughly two dozen single-family homes in the $600,000 to $700,000 range near Fishers High School.

Patch Development incentives approved. The council approved an economic development package for Patch Development’s $7.3 million project on Masters Road near the Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport. Patch, currently based in Westfield, has been assembling property in the airport-area business park and plans a flex office building at the site.

New traffic and right-of-way ordinances enacted. The council adopted a set of ordinances that:

  • regulate pedestrian occupancy of travel lanes and certain medians;
  • require a city permit for booths, tents, canopies, tables, kiosks and other temporary structures placed on public sidewalks, multi-use trails or pedestrian portions of the public right-of-way;
  • restrict unauthorized entry into construction zones and interference with traffic movement or traffic-control devices.

Violations are subject to enforcement by the Fishers Police Department and fines through the Ordinance Violations Bureau.

 

Hamilton County flood property tax relief may be available to property owners

Owners must file Indiana Form 137R by Dec. 31, 2027, to request a disaster-related reassessment.

Hamilton County property owners whose homes or other taxable property sustained significant physical damage during the recent flooding may qualify for future property tax relief.

The announcement follows record-setting flooding along the White River. The river crested at approximately 24.6 feet in Noblesville, surpassing a record set in 1913, according to The Associated Press.

To request relief, property owners must complete Indiana State Form 137R, a petition asking the county assessor to survey and reassess property partially or totally destroyed by a disaster. The form must be submitted to the Hamilton County Assessor’s Office by Dec. 31, 2027.

Filing the form does not guarantee a reduction. Each property will be reviewed individually, and properties with severe damage will require a site inspection.

“We know many property owners are dealing with significant damage, and we want to make sure they understand what options may be available to them,” Hamilton County Assessor Kevin Poore said. “Each property will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, so we encourage anyone who believes they may qualify to contact our office with questions and submit the required form.”

Under Indiana law, the disaster process applies when a substantial amount of property in a township has been physically damaged or destroyed. Form 137R is a request for reassessment, not an application for insurance payments or direct financial assistance.

Any approved adjustment would apply to the Jan. 1, 2026, assessment date, which is used to calculate property-tax bills payable in 2027. It would not reduce property taxes currently payable in 2026.

State law generally does not allow relief from current-year property taxes after a disaster. The exception is narrowly limited to parcels that become permanently inaccessible by land because a river changes course.

Property owners may submit the form to the Hamilton County Assessor’s Office, 33 N. Ninth St., Suite 214, in Noblesville. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, according to the county’s website.

Questions about Form 137R or potential eligibility may be directed to the assessor’s office at 317-776-9617.

Township trustee offices become drop-off sites for flood cleanup supplies

Hamilton County Harvest Food Bank and the county’s trustee association are collecting buckets, bleach and heavy-duty trash bags for residents digging out from record White River flooding.

Hamilton County residents who want to help their flooded neighbors now have seven places to drop off supplies — and they are the same township trustee offices where locals already go for emergency assistance.

Hamilton County Harvest Food Bank, working with the Hamilton County Trustee Association, has launched a countywide donation drive for residents whose homes were damaged when the White River shattered a 113-year-old flood record last week. Township trustee offices across the county are serving as collection points, and the food bank will coordinate distribution of what comes in.

The need is for cleanup and recovery supplies rather than food or clothing. Organizers are asking for:

  • Heavy-duty trash bags
  • Buckets
  • Heavy-duty sponges
  • Paper towels
  • Cleaning products
  • Bleach
  • Rubber gloves
  • Mops and brooms
  • Disposable face masks
  • Scrub brushes

Where to drop off donations

  • Clay Township — 10701 N. College Ave., Ste. B, Carmel, IN 46280
  • Delaware Township — 9090 E. 131st St., Fishers, IN 46038
  • Fall Creek Township — 11595 Brook School Road, Fishers, IN 46037
  • Jackson Township — 506 W. Main St., Box 456, Arcadia, IN 46030
  • Noblesville Township — 836 Division St., Noblesville, IN 46060
  • Wayne Township — 18441 Durbin Road, Noblesville, IN 46060
  • Westfield Washington Township — 17400 Westfield Blvd., Westfield, IN 46074

Residents should check office hours before making a trip, as trustee offices generally keep weekday business hours and several staffs have been stretched thin by storm-related assistance requests.

Why cleaning supplies

The list may look mundane next to images of boat rescues and submerged neighborhoods, but flood recovery experts consistently rank cleanup gear among the most urgently needed and least donated items after a flood. Floodwater that has passed through streets, storm drains and sanitary systems leaves behind contaminated silt, and homeowners are advised to remove soaked drywall, insulation and carpet quickly to stay ahead of mold — work that consumes gloves, masks, bags and bleach at a rate few households keep on hand.

Cleaning products are also among the items federal food assistance cannot cover: SNAP benefits may not be used for soap, bleach, paper towels or trash bags, which leaves flooded families buying them out of pocket at exactly the moment their budgets are gone.

The flood behind the drive

The White River at Noblesville crested at a record 24.6 feet on Sunday, Aug. 16, topping the 23.8-foot mark set during the catastrophic statewide flood of 1913. More than 11 inches of rain fell across parts of central Indiana beginning Tuesday, Aug. 11.

Hamilton County commissioners declared a state of emergency Friday, Aug. 14, as more than 60 roads closed countywide, including stretches of State Road 37, State Road 19 and U.S. 31. The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office helped more than 160 families and several business owners evacuate voluntarily from the Riverwood community north of Noblesville.

Damage assessments released as the water receded counted roughly 552 residential units affected in Noblesville and about 230 properties in Carmel, where 40 residents were relocated and 14 were evacuated from senior living facilities. Fishers crews rescued an estimated 16 to 18 people from homes and along the river. Westfield reported no displaced residents. The Hazel Dell Road bridge between 96th and 106th streets sustained damage significant enough to require an engineering review.

Statewide, at least seven deaths have been attributed to the storms. Gov. Mike Braun declared a state of emergency, mobilized the Indiana National Guard and asked the federal government for an emergency declaration.

Other ways to help

The American Red Cross is operating a 24-hour resource center at Exhibition Hall on the Hamilton County Fairgrounds, 2003 Pleasant St. in Noblesville; the number there is 317-645-3261. About 1,300 volunteers have registered through Noblesville Serve. Cash donations for flood recovery are being routed through the Hamilton County Community Foundation, and Hamilton County Harvest Food Bank is running its own emergency relief fund, with contributions going toward groceries and restaurant gift cards for displaced residents staying in hotels without kitchens.

Hamilton County Harvest Food Bank is based at 89 S. Byron St. in Cicero and supplies pantries and feeding programs across the county. By its own estimate, roughly 33,666 county residents were food insecure before the river ever left its banks — about 7,136 of them children.

Look for the helpers in the Fishers flood response

Young children are more aware of the world around them than adults sometimes realize. They see news broadcasts, often while sitting with their parents. They hear conversations about floods, tornadoes, mass shootings and other frightening events. Even when they do not understand every detail, they know something bad has happened.

Fred Rogers offered parents a memorable way to reassure them. He often recalled what his mother told him when he encountered frightening news as a child: “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.

That advice was meant for children, but adults can benefit from it, too.

During the historic flooding that struck Indiana, Hamilton County and Fishers, we did not have to look far to find the helpers.

When I attended Sunday’s news conference at the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds—and later spoke individually with Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness—it was clear that every official gathered there was focused on recovery.

The magnitude of the flooding was difficult to comprehend. The White River near Noblesville crested at approximately 24.6 feet, surpassing a record set during the Great Flood of 1913. Officials were grateful that no lives were lost in Hamilton County, but they also acknowledged the extensive damage to homes, roads and other property.

There was discussion of finding temporary housing for people forced from their homes. Officials repeatedly warned residents to stay away from flooded areas. Floodwater can contain sewage, chemicals, sharp debris and other hazards. Roads and bridges beneath the water may have been washed away or structurally weakened.

The government helpers were front and center.

Fishers has developed a highly regarded water-rescue operation, and its crews were called upon to assist some of the hardest-hit communities. Fishers firefighters and other public safety personnel traveled to Pendleton and Anderson to conduct rescues, while city employees delivered supplies to Pendleton and Tipton.

Our Fishers crews left their own city to help people in neighboring communities. That is what good public safety agencies do when disaster strikes: Jurisdictional lines become less important than saving lives.

Then the emergency came home.

Flash flooding struck the Luxhaven area along Fall Creek, a neighborhood with a long history of flooding. This time, however, the situation was particularly severe. Fishers personnel rescued residents and went door to door checking homes.

As the White River continued to rise, crews contacted residents living near the river, assisted with voluntary evacuations and eventually shifted into search-and-rescue operations. The last resident was pulled from the White River Saturday afternoon. Mayor Fadness told me that no one was injured during the dozens of water rescues.

The numbers help illustrate the scope of the response. From Thursday through Saturday, Fishers emergency crews contacted residents at 85 homes, searched 34 homes and evacuated 16. They helped 27 adults, five children and 20 pets reach safety.

Those are more than statistics. Each number represents a frightened resident, a family pet, a home in danger or a public safety worker entering uncertain conditions to help someone else.

The helpers were not limited to government.

As the magnitude of the emergency became clear Thursday and Friday, I saw a remarkable number of people online asking the same questions: Can we volunteer? Where can we contribute supplies? Is there a trustworthy place to donate money? What can we do?

By Sunday, roughly 1,300 people had registered to volunteer through Noblesville Serve. The Hamilton County Community Foundation was accepting financial contributions, while the Good Samaritan Network and local churches were coordinating donations of supplies.

That is the kind of community we have.

When the need becomes clear, people close ranks. They want to help neighbors they may know well—and people they may never have met. The challenge during an emergency is not persuading people to care. It is organizing all that compassion so help reaches the right places safely and effectively.

There was another group of helpers working largely behind the scenes: the public-information and communications professionals responsible for keeping residents and the news media informed.

I must admit that keeping up with every development over the past several days was a challenge. Conditions changed quickly, sometimes by the hour. I commend the local communications professionals who answered my questions as soon as they could and regularly posted verified information on social media. Their work allowed me to consolidate information from official sources and share it with readers in real time.

Accurate information is also a form of emergency assistance. It tells people where to find shelter, which roads to avoid and how to help without creating another hazard.

I will soon celebrate my 75th birthday, so it goes without saying that I am not as young as I once was. Covering a fast-moving emergency over several days can be exhausting. But moments such as this remind me why local news matters.

Over the past few days, this website set new records for readership. People were searching for information about their streets, their neighborhoods, their city and their neighbors. National news cannot provide that level of detail. Local news can.

To those visiting LarryInFishers for the first time, welcome. I am only sorry that a flooding emergency brought you here.

I have been covering Fishers for 15 years, and if my health holds out, I intend to continue for some years to come.

Thank you to the first responders, rescue crews, public employees, nonprofit organizations, communications professionals, volunteers and ordinary citizens who came together when they were needed most.

Fred Rogers told us to look for the helpers.

During this flood, we found them everywhere.

It makes me proud to be part of the Fishers community.

Thanks for reading.

Freight Beat the IFL Champion Twice — and Still Missed the Playoffs

Congratulations to the Arizona Rattlers, the 2026 Indoor Football League champions, who beat the Green Bay Blizzard 62-51 Sunday night at Tucson Arena.

Allow me to note that the Fishers Freight beat Arizona twice this season.

The first came April 5 at the Fishers Event Center, where the Freight rolled 63-42 over a Rattlers club led by reigning league MVP Max Meylor. Felix Harper threw three touchdowns; Dominic Roberto ran for three more.

The second came June 14 in Glendale. Arizona had been unbeaten at home and was an 8.5-point favorite. Fishers won 37-36, ending a five-game losing streak, when Rattlers kicker Mathew Cook’s 26-yard attempt sailed wide right as time expired.

Then the Freight missed the playoffs anyway.

Fishers finished 8-8, one win better than the 7-9 inaugural season in 2025, with most of those losses decided by a possession or less. It came down to the July 26 regular-season finale against Orlando at the Fishers Event Center — winner in, loser out. Orlando won.

The league, meanwhile, keeps growing. The IFL has announced four new franchises for 2027, which would push it to 18 teams. :  Savannah (Georgia), Arkansas,  Athens, Georgia –  owned by a group including Jerome Bettis, Brian Jordan and David Pollack, and Austin, Texas, announced during the IFL Cup championship broadcast, with league officials also hinting at a New Jersey team based at the American Dream mall. Commissioner Todd Tryon has said he eventually wants 24 teams.

Tryon has made clear he insists on two things from any new owner — the money required to run the franchise and the expertise to manage a professional sports operation.

There are hints of even more teams for 2027, but time is running out. Two clubs are suspended: Sioux Falls and Bay Area. It should be noted the league office is located in Sioux Falls.

The IFL also changed its television approach this season, taking over production of all games. Previously each franchise produced its own home telecasts. The league claims its Yahoo Sports streaming audience reached 6 million this year. That is major growth, if accurate.

Freight coach and general manager Dixie Wooten now goes to work building a competitive squad for 2027 — the franchise’s third season in Fishers, and the first with real expectations attached.

Historic flooding prompts emergency declaration, evacuations in Fishers

Significant flooding along the White River, Fall Creek and other waterways prompted Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness to issue a local disaster emergency declaration Saturday, Aug. 15.

The flooding followed rainfall the city described as unprecedented, pushing local waterways to historic levels and affecting homes and roads throughout the community.

From Thursday through Saturday, emergency crews contacted residents at 85 homes, searched 34 homes and evacuated 16 homes, according to the city. Responders helped 27 adults, five children and 20 pets reach safety.

The daily response involved 58 Fishers firefighters, 12 Fishers police officers and between five and seven Department of Public Works employees.

As floodwaters recede, city crews and community organizations are assisting affected residents and assessing the damage. Officials said conditions and road access will continue to change during the recovery.

Residents should avoid areas that remain covered by floodwater and obey all barricades and road closures. Officials also cautioned people against touring damaged neighborhoods, saying additional traffic could interfere with damage assessments and delay assistance.

Children and pets should be kept away from floodwater, which can conceal hazards and contain contaminants.

Residents who want to support recovery efforts can register for volunteer opportunities at VolunteerFishers.com. Donations of goods and supplies can be made through Good Samaritan Network of Hamilton County, while financial contributions can be directed through the Hamilton County Community Foundation.

The latest road closures, recovery information and other resources are available at FishersIN.gov/Flooding.

 

Fadness: Last Fishers flood rescue completed Saturday; recovery work begins in earnest Monday

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness said the city’s four-day emergency response to historic flooding wrapped up Saturday afternoon with the last person pulled from the White River, and that attention now turns to a recovery effort that will begin in earnest Monday.

In an interview Sunday, Fadness said no one was injured across dozens of water rescues carried out by Fishers crews — work that stretched well beyond the city limits into Madison and Tipton counties.

“Everyone is safe. No one was injured,” he said.

Four days of rescues

The response began Thursday morning in Pendleton, where Fishers public safety teams assisted with water rescues after what Fadness called “torrential rain.”

“We were there all day Thursday,” he said.

Thursday night, crews shifted to a flash flood situation along the Fall Creek corridor in the Luxhaven area, where officers rescued about seven people and then went door to door checking on affected homes.

Around 2 a.m., Fishers teams were called back to Anderson for a levee break, and to Pendleton for more water rescues. At the same time, the Fishers Department of Public Works was delivering supplies to Pendleton and the city of Tipton.

Rescues resumed in the Pendleton area Friday morning. By Friday night, crews were making contact with residents along the White River corridor in Fishers.

“At that time some people voluntarily evacuated; others stayed in their homes,” Fadness said.

As the water rose Saturday morning, the city moved to search and rescue operations along the river. Those concluded late Saturday afternoon, with the final resident rescued from the White River around 3 p.m.

“Our team is now rehabbing,” Fadness said. “Everyone is safe.”

Infrastructure largely intact

Fadness said early indications on public infrastructure are encouraging.

“I don’t think there are any roads that are significantly impacted,” he said. “All of our critical functions — wastewater treatment plants, public safety — they’re all fully functional.”

He also knocked down concerns about the water system. Some residents reported water pressure problems Saturday, which the mayor described as an isolated incident that has since been resolved.

“The water pressure has been restored,” he said. “We’ve had no complaints from Citizens (water utility) of any concern about the quality of the water.”

There is no boil water advisory in effect, he said, and water pressure and supply are adequate for operational needs.

Parks damaged, homes likely worse

City parks along the river did not fare as well. Fadness said White River Park remains under water and has not yet been assessed, and he expects damage at Heritage Park as well.

The Riverside schools campus, near the flooded area, was not damaged, he said.

The bigger unknown is housing. Crews cannot fully evaluate homes until the water recedes.

“I would imagine most of the homes that were in that flood area have catastrophic damage at this point,” Fadness said.

Recovery operations spinning up

Even as rescue crews stood down, a second team led by the Department of Public Works and the deputy mayor began organizing recovery operations, the mayor said. Details were expected to be released later Sunday, with the work ramping up Monday.

Residents with flood-related needs can call the city’s 24-hour non-emergency flood hotline at 317-595-3211 or submit information at FishersIN.gov/Flooding. Fadness declared a local disaster emergency Friday that runs through Aug. 22.

The American Red Cross has opened an evacuation center at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds, 2003 Pleasant St. in Noblesville.

The White River crested Friday at 23.96 feet at the Noblesville gauge, breaking the 23.8-foot record set in the Great Flood of 1913.

Watch the full interview with Mayor Fadness in the video above.

Officials shift from rescue to recovery after record White River flooding

Talking before Sunday’s News conference (L-R) Chris Jensen, Scott Fadness, Christine Altman & Sue Finkham

With the White River finally falling after cresting at a record 24.6 feet, county and city leaders gathered at the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds on Sunday morning to declare the rescue phase over and the long recovery under way.

“It’s not raining, and the water is receding,” Commissioner Christine Altman said, opening the news conference. The crest topped the previous record of 23.8 feet, set in 1913 — a mark that had stood for 113 years. By Sunday morning the river had dropped to 21 feet and was continuing to fall.

No lives were lost, officials said repeatedly. Property was another matter.

The county’s most significant loss was the Hazel Dell Road bridge between 96th and 106th streets, where floodwaters scoured away the earth beneath the structure. Engineers are assessing whether it can be repaired or must be replaced entirely, Altman said. Roads across the county remain barricaded, and both a travel watch and a flood watch remain in effect.

In Carmel, Mayor Sue Finkam said roughly 230 properties were affected, 40 residents were relocated from their homes, and 14 residents were evacuated overnight from a senior living community that includes assisted living and memory care. She asked residents to stay clear of the Hazel Dell bridge area, where spectators had been gathering on foot, by car and by drone.

Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen reported about 552 residential units impacted and roughly 170 residents voluntarily evacuated over 72 hours, along with many pets. The city focused on three areas: the Riverwood community north of downtown, the southwest quadrant of downtown along the river, and the area near Federal Hill Commons, where crews are working to restore power to an apartment building in the floodplain. Noblesville’s wastewater treatment plant, he said, remained fully operational despite floodwaters surrounding it.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness said his city’s work began Thursday, with swift-water rescues elsewhere followed by flash flooding at home that night. Crews rescued about six people from one neighborhood Thursday and another 10 to 12 people, plus pets, along the White River on Saturday.

Westfield Mayor Scott Willis said his city fared better, with no displaced residents and no infrastructure damage identified so far along Cool Creek.

Hamilton County Emergency Operations Director Chad Knecht delivered the sharpest warning of the morning: the danger has not passed with the water.

“This is a marathon, not a sprint,” he said. Barricades are being pushed aside by drivers, roads may hide washouts and undermined bridges, and downed electrical lines can become re-energized. Residents should not re-enter barricaded areas without permission.

The county has consolidated assistance at a single point of contact. A resource center staffed with American Red Cross support is operating around the clock at Exhibition Hall, 2003 Pleasant St., Noblesville, at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds. The number is 317-645-3261.

Residents needing to briefly return to damaged homes should call that number or contact their local police department about an escort, the director said. In the coming days, damage assessment teams in marked vests will be photographing individual structures — documentation required for a federal disaster declaration.

It is too early to estimate costs, Altman said, with assessments just beginning.

Health officials warned that floodwater is not sanitary and urged residents to keep children out of standing water. The county health department will help residents with private wells and advise on discarding exposed or unrefrigerated food. Officials recommended photographing everything before cleaning, and wearing gloves and an N95 mask during cleanup because of mold risk.

Roughly 1,300 volunteers have signed up through Noblesville Serve, which is coordinating from the fairgrounds. Financial donations can be directed to the Hamilton County Community Foundation; item donations are being routed through the Good Samaritan Network and local churches.

County offices reopen for normal business Monday.

Noblesville’s “Great Flood of 2026” recedes, but danger remains

Noblesville has for years talked about the Great Flood of 1913. Moving forward, it will now be the Great Flood of 2026.

The White River continued to fall Sunday morning after reaching approximately 24.56 feet in Noblesville early Saturday, surpassing the historic 1913 flood.

The river stood at 21.61 feet at 6:45 a.m. Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. That remained more than seven feet above flood stage.

The National Weather Service said major flooding was continuing along the White River. A river flood warning remains in effect through Wednesday evening, although the river is forecast to drop below flood stage Wednesday morning.

A news conference featuring a long list of local officials is scheduled Sunday morning in Noblesville. Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness is among those expected to participate.

In Fishers, two monitored waterways showed modest improvement overnight. Mud Creek declined to 7.89 feet by 6:45 a.m., while Sand Creek at 116th Street dropped to 4.33 feet shortly after 6 a.m.

No new overnight deaths, evacuation orders or boil-water advisories were reported in Fishers or Hamilton County as of early Sunday. However, additional thunderstorms could produce locally heavy rainfall and aggravate existing flooding.

An area flood warning was scheduled to remain in effect until 10 a.m., with a flood watch continuing until noon.

Numerous roads remained closed. Hamilton County’s latest list included Hazel Dell Parkway between 96th and 106th streets, Woodcreek Drive near 116th Street, State Road 38 at Hague Road, State Road 19 at Logan Street and Forest Park, and State Road 13 between State Roads 32 and 37.

Officials urged motorists to consult the county’s live closure map and never attempt to cross a flooded road.

A reception center for displaced residents is operating from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday and Monday at Expo Hall A at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds, 2003 Pleasant Street in Noblesville. Volunteers and donations are also being coordinated there.

Five deaths have been reported statewide during the broader storm and flooding emergency, but none in Hamilton County. Local officials said everyone requiring rescue in Noblesville had been accounted for.

A federal emergency declaration has been approved for Indiana to support the state’s response.