Water levels in Northern Indiana are finally starting to recede after rainfall and snowmelt pushed rivers above historic flood marks.  Indiana Public Broadcasating’s Jennifer Weingart reports.

The St. Joseph River at South Bend was nearly two feet above the historic flood mark and at Elkhart it was just short of a 30 feet high, peaking at 28 and a half feet.  The Elkhart River at Goshen topped a record by more than a foot and a half, cresting at 12 and half feet.  The flooding lead education officials in Goshen and Elkhart to cancel classes, and Indiana University South Bend closed its campus Thursday as well.

Now that rivers are falling South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg has talked with Congresswoman Jackie Walorski and Senator Joe Donnelly to get clean-up moving. Buttiegieg is asking residents to report damage.

“The reason it’s so important to call in to EMA is that in order for us to qualify for any federal disaster aid we need an accurate count of the amount of damage to property that’s occured.”

Buttigieg says water levels likely won’t fall back to below flood levels until mid-march.