Gwinnett Daily Post

Staff Photo: Keith Farner The newly opened section of the Suwanee Creek Greenway was flooded on Tuesday morning as the creek rose to 10 feet. The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for Suwanee Creek until Wednesday afternoon.

SUWANEE -- Nearly four inches of rain on Monday caused Suwanee Creek to come out of its banks.

The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the creek at 10:43 a.m. on Tuesday until Wednesday afternoon. At 10 a.m. on Tuesday, the NWS said the creek was at 10 feet and rising, and the weather service expected it to crest near the moderate flood stage of 11 feet. The creek will continue to rise to near 10.9 feet by Tuesday evening, and fall below flood stage by Wednesday morning, the flood warning statement said.

The NWS flood stage of eight feet was eclipsed as the creek rose about seven feet in 24 hours.

Maps on the NWS web site estimated that the Suwanee area received between 2.5 inches and four inches of rain on Monday and early Tuesday morning.

Handrails were nearly underwater at the newly opened section of the Suwanee Creek Greenway, near the bridge on Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road.

The NWS also said flooding extended into yards off of Bend Creek Trail and Mill Creek Run, and a large portion of the playground behind Suwanee Elementary would be flooded. The NWS expected the water level to reach the bottom of the Martin Farm Road Bridge.

Forecasts for the rest of the week expect highs in the upper 70s on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the lower 80s Thursday through Saturday. Lows are expected to be in the high 50s. Thursday has the highest chance of rain, at 20 percent.