A car on Core Road in Parkersburg approaches a low spot covered with water on Friday morning. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

MARIETTA — Washington and Wood County officials are keeping a close watch on potential flooding as heavy rains continue to move through the area.

While no major incidents have been reported, police and emergency crews have responded to scattered debris and fallen tree limbs on roadways.

Authorities had already cleared some roads of debris from high winds from Wednesday evening, but no significant damage or accidents were reported Thursday. Police are maintaining close contact with emergency responders and plan to provide updates if conditions worsen.

Col. Brian Rhodes of the Marietta Police Department noted that while conditions remained stable early Thursday morning, additional rainfall overnight led to rising water levels in areas that historically experience flooding.

Meanwhile, several counties across Ohio and West Virginia remain under a warning for potential flooding, including Wood and Washington counties.

Point Park in Parkersburg was gated Friday morning because of high water. The point is among the first places to be affected by the rising Ohio and Little Kanawha rivers. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

Meteorologist Joe Curtis of the National Weather Service in Charleston said Friday that in recent days the area has received 2-2 1/2 inches of rain. Over the next few days, the area could see another 1-3 inches of rain, depending on whether thunderstorms move into the area.

“Those can drop quite a bit of rain in a very fast period of time,” Curtis said.

The area could see a little bit of a break on Saturday, followed by another round of rain Saturday evening and into Sunday, he said.

The weather service is expecting creek, stream and river levels to rise over the next couple of days.

“We are expecting the Ohio River at Belleville to reach action stage early next week,” Curis said. “All of the rain we are seeing, eventually that will run off into the Ohio River, and we could see some elevated levels there by next week.”

A herd of cattle graze near a flooded branch of Wolf Creek along Ohio 339 between Waterford and Watertown Friday morning. Heavy rains have pushed some small streams out of their banks. (Photo by Art Smith)

Right now, the main concern is the creeks and streams overflowing. Early next week, those will go into the rivers, which will rise as well.

According to the National Water Service, the Muskingum River at Beverly was approaching flood stage of 29 feet Friday morning and is predicted to crest at 31.6 feet Sunday evening.

Beverly Mayor Jim Ullman said the village wasn’t experiencing any issues due to high water from the Ohio River on Friday and it disn’t expect to.

“As long as we don’t get much rain today, we’ll be OK,” Ullman said. “We’re doing better off than the creeks and streams right now.”

He said there were no road closures on Friday but they would continue to monitor the situation.

Geese swim in a swollen Muskingum River near the Beverly boat ramp Friday morning. Heavy rains have pushed the river near the top of its banks, flooding some low-lying areas. (Photo by Art Smith)

The Ohio River is projected to crest early Tuesday morning below the flood stages of 36 and 35 feet at Parkersburg and Marietta, respectively.

Washington County Sheriff’s Capt. Eric Hunter said Friday that typical low-lying roads near areas such as Ohio 26 have seen some flooding, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary for local residents.

“It’s just the normal low-lying roads that always flood – nothing major yet,” said Hunter. “We haven’t had anything out of the ordinary reported to us, nothing that’s going to affect any type of major transportation.”

Local emergency management officials continue to monitor conditions and encourage residents to be cautious around flood-prone areas.

Assistant Wood County 911 Director Dale McEwuen said there were power outages in some areas and they had some trees down on Thursday.

Worthington Creek below the Worthington Ball Fields was swollen Friday morning after the severe storms that went through the region. More showers are forecast Saturday and Sunday are in the forecast from the National Weather Service. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

On Friday, he said water was starting to rise in streams and creeks. Many secondary roads that are prone to flooding are starting to get water on them, including Core Road, Nicholette Road and Stillwell Road.

State road crews have been out and have been putting signs out warming people.

“I was out and saw those with my own eyes,” he said. “I’m making a guess, but I think it is going to get worse (Saturday) just because the rain is going to continue.”

With school out this week in Wood County, emergency officials do not have to contend with buses and trying to get kids to and from school, McEwuen said.

Staff reporter Douglass Huxley contributed to this story.

Worthington Creek is seen near the Worthington golf course. (Photo by Jess Mancini)

Brett Dunlap can be reached at [email protected]

Gwen Sour can be reached at [email protected].

The Ohio River at Point Park. The river was at about 25 feet on Friday morning. It is expected to crest at Belleville at 35 feet, about 1 foot below flood stage, at noon Monday. (Photo by Jess Mancini)