Walton County Residents along the Choctawhatchee River are continuing to monitor the rising water levels. These are anxious times’ for those who live in low-lying areas prone to flooding.

The South East River Forecast Center issued a statement that things are looking better in Caryville in Washington County. The current forecast crest of 17-point-2 feet on Friday morning is almost a foot lower than initially anticipated.

That would result in lower water levels downstream in Walton County’s Red Bay and Bruce communities’. Walton County Emergency Operation’s Center Director, Captain Mike Barker, says a lot depends on the possibility of additional precipitation.

A low pressure system moving in from the west is expected to dump rain across the tri-states’ region beginning Thursday night and into Friday morning. A large amount of rain could cause the projected river levels to increase.

The Walton County EOC has a limited number of sandbags, and officials there will decide on how they should best be allocated on a case-by-case basis.

Folks who live in traditional flood plains along the Choctawhatchee and Shoal Rivers are advised to continue to monitor the latest information on the rising water levels through their local media outlets.