The Big Black and Mississippi rivers are beginning to fall, and the promise of several days without rain locally and in areas of the Upper Mississippi Valley means the river levels could drop significantly by the end of next week, although there may still be some flooding as the Mississippi drops, weather officials said.

“The Big Black is beginning to fall in the upper and middle sections, but it is still high at Bovina,” said Marty Pope, senior service hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Jackson. He said the Big Black was expected to crest Friday at 29.1 feet at Bovina. Flood stage is 28 feet.

“We are seeing some backwater flooding in the lower end south if Bovina because the Mississippi is high and it’s affecting the lowlands,” he said. “The water can’t get out because the Mississippi’s still high and it’s blocking it and not letting it out.”

Warren County Emergency Management director John Elfer said the Big Black’s high on the south end was affecting Warriors Trail, “which is mostly agriculture land. We should have some barricades in the area.”

Pope said the a slow fall on the Mississippi is expected through next week.

Mississippi Friday was at 42 feet. Flood stage is 43 feet.

“We can expect to see a Expect to see a slow fall in the river,” he said. According to the National Weather Service website, the Mississippi is predicted to be at 39.5 feet by Wednesday.

He said the reason for the current rise in the river was rainfall in the Ohio Valley, which drained into the Ohio River and then into the Mississippi.

“We’ve had no significant rainfall there for about a week, and the river was expected to be three feet below flood stage at Cairo, Ill., the first part of the week, and possibly eight feet by the end of the week,” he said.

“The Mississippi shouldn’t be a problem,” Elfer said. He said the low-lying areas like Ziegler Road and Chickasaw affect by the current his water “are areas that usually flood, but most of what’s out there is hunting camps, and the owners know how to prepare for high water and take care of it.”