Illinois River Businesses Bracing For Worst After Cherokee County Flooding

Staff and Wire Reports

TAHLEQUAH, Oklahoma --  The National Weather Service is reporting major flooding along the Illinois River in eastern Oklahoma.

The river was just above 28 feet at Watts Tuesday morning and at nearly 25 feet at Tahlequah. The flood stages are 13 feet at Watts and 11 feet at Tahlequah.

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management spokeswoman Michelann Ooten said no injuries have been reported.

The National Weather Service says flooding in the Illinois River basin is similar to what happened in the basin in June of 1974.

See The Latest USGS Water Data Of The Illinois River Near Tahlequah.

Float-trip operators along the Illinois River are sandbagging cabins and hauling canoes, rafts and other equipment out of the water as a storm system that's been blamed for two deaths in Oklahoma continues to dump rain on the area.

3/25/2011 Related Story: Flooding Becomes Major Problem Across Eastern Oklahoma

The Associated Press contributed to this report.