Record Rainfall Floods Olney

Olney Police rescued two people from rising floodwaters on April 30, after heavy rains pounded the region the night before, pushing Olney Lake past 100 percent capacity for the first time in nearly a decade.

Olney Police Chief Dan Birbeck said officers first responded to a residence on South Avenue C, where a person was trapped by rapidly encroaching water early Tuesday morning.

“We have already conducted one water rescue evacuation,” Chief Birbeck posted on the department’s Facebook page before 8 a.m., warning residents to stay alert and avoid flood-prone areas. “Please remain vigilant and monitor rising floodwaters closely.”

City workers from the Public Works Department set up barricades across low-lying roadways, but by the end of the day, police had to rescue a second person—a stranded motorist—and cited another driver for ignoring a barricade.

“Make a plan to evacuate safely before conditions become hazardous,” Chief Birbeck urged, adding that residents needing food or shelter should call the Olney Police Department for assistance.

The City of Olney confirmed that Olney Lake had exceeded its limits, triggering flow into the overflow spillway—a rare event not seen since the historic flooding of 2015. Several creeks and drainage channels across the county swelled to capacity, leaving some roads temporarily impassable.

Local emergency services remained on high alert over the weekend as the National Weather Service issued additional flash flood watches and predicted continued thunderstorms through the first week of May.

Meteorologists said rainfall totals for the area could climb by several more inches, compounding an already saturated ground.

The storms mark one of the wettest starts to May in recent years for Young County, reviving concerns about drainage infrastructure and preparedness as the storm season continues.

Residents are urged to stay informed through official city and weather channels and to avoid any unnecessary travel during severe weather alerts.

The rainfall totals for the area surpassed four inches in some areas, with Olney seeing 4.2 inches; Loving, 3.7 inches; Jean, 4.5 inches; Newcastle, 3.9 inches, the National Weather Service reported. Roads were closed at South Avenue C at Main Street, and at the Olney Country Club.