STEUBEN COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) — Steuben County Emergency Management and the Steuben County Highway Department are working together to offer free sandbags in light of recent rainfall causing rising water levels.

County officials initially planned to only have the sandbag site open Tuesday, but authorities sent an email to WANE 15 saying they will keep the operation open Wednesday and will determine whether they will need to keep it open past Wednesday.

The sandbag filling site is located at the Steuben County Highway Department at 1900 N. County Road 200 W. in Angola and is open from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Authorities said county lakes, rivers and streams are starting to swell at a time when the ground is already dealing with saturation due to the winter thaw.

County officials said they anticipate water levels in some locations will continue to rise, which is what prompted creating the sandbag filling site.

The county said it will provide sand and sandbags, but residents will need to bring their own shovel to fill the bags and vehicle to transport the bags.