According to Environment Agency hydrologist Tanel Toots, the blockage that had caused the river's water level to rise has reached the village of Vorbuse, just northwest of the city.

With temperatures still remaining below zero toward the end of the week, blockages may still form in the river, potentially causing water levels to rise again, but this would occur upstream of Tartu.

"The drop has been between 5-10 centimeters," Toots noted. "The question now is whether it will continue to fall quickly or slowly. Right now, our best comparison is with 2005, when the water level declined rather slowly back to normal. In 2005, it took two weeks for the water to return to its original level, which in today's terms would be 225 centimeters above zero."

Earlier this week, the Environment Agency had issued a level one flood warning for the Tartu area as river water levels continued to rise.

The City of Tartu had announced on Monday already that it was actively preparing for flood management efforts, as the water in the Emajõgi was at its highest level in over a decade and was expected to continue rising.

Efforts included roping off waterfront promenades, walkways and stairs around and between several of the city's bridges, and warnings not to venture out onto the thin ice that had formed on the river.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!