Rain and snow melt are causing flooding concerns throughout North Idaho and forced a St. Maries apartment building to be evacuated on Friday.

"Mutch Creek in St. Maries was flowing over its banks and (several) residents had to be evacuated," said Ron Miller, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Norm Suenkel, Benewah County's emergency manager, said the American Red Cross is assisting 15 residents in the Ridgeview apartments who don't have friends or family to go to for help.

"Once water started to run into the lower units of the complex, we had to turn off the power and evacuate people," Suenkel said.

The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for small streams in Kootenai, Bonner, Boundary and Shoshone counties and the Coeur d'Alene River at Cataldo and the St. Joe River at St. Maries.

Today will be the biggest flooding concern, Miller said.

"The rain is expected to subside on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday," he said.

The Coeur d'Alene River is projected to reach flood stage of 43 feet or higher by late tonight or Sunday morning.

"At 43 feet, you will have some roads under water and some families probably can't access their homes," said John Specht, Shoshone county emergency manager, on Friday.

Following a night-long downpour, the Coeur d'Alene River was just under 40 feet by early Friday. With continued forecasts of rain compounded by snow melt, the river is expected to reach between 43 and 44 feet by Sunday, Specht said.

Sandy Von Behren, manager of Kootenai County Emergency Management, said the river was forecasted to rise above flood stage late Friday night and should crest today at a foot-and-a-half above flood stage. She said it's likely to be quickly receding on Sunday.

Von Behren said her agency received reports of water over the roadways and small creeks overflowing their banks throughout the area.

Areas slated to be most affected lie between Cataldo and Harrison and in the St. Maries area.

"The impact depends on how long (the rain) stays," Specht said, adding that Shoshone County was only seeing minor issues with culverts and rock slides on Friday. "If it comes up and goes down in 24 hours, the impacts at that level aren't too significant. If the rain's greater than they predict, and then we stay over flood stage for four or five days, then you start seeing a lot of bigger problems because of the cumulative impact."

The Weather Service predicted that when the river reaches 43 feet, the campground at Cataldo will begin to flood. Portions of Dudley Road west of Latour Creek will also likely be under water and impassable. If there is significant water in the flood plain, these impacts might occur at lower stages.

Suenkel said there's high water on the St. Joe River and it's expected to be a foot over flood stage by Sunday, but he doesn't anticipate more major concerns.

Miller said the Joe may not drop below flood stage until early next week.

Minor flooding of farmland from Cataldo downstream to Harrison is likely.

"It's good to have warning today, to make preparations to get up and evacuate," Specht said.

Doug Fredericks, resource and preparedness specialist with Kootenai County, said the county has staged an emergency pump at Cataldo with crew on hand, in case water needs to be drawn down on the back side of the levy.

"If it comes up high enough, there are homes and a business that can flood up there," Fredericks said.

Kootenai County had seen minimal impact by Friday from the week's constant showers, he said.

Emergency Management had received calls of flooding on Kidd Island Road, Fredericks said, as well as a call from a property owner near Highway 97 needing to sand bag a high-running creek.

Lake Coeur d'Alene is currently at "a very safe place," Fredericks added. He doesn't expect the lake to flood this weekend, he said.

"Probably the biggest wild card in the whole scenario is the ground is so, so saturated," he said. "There probably will be some localized challenges, some people's hillsides and homes."

Harbor Island on the Spokane River between Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene has flooded in recent years, but Cathyanne Nonini, a resident in that area, said there were no concerns as of late Friday afternoon.

Although Fredericks said there is no reason to panic yet, he recommended that folks in low-lying areas, especially between Cataldo and Harrison, prepare to move possessions to upper levels of homes and be ready to evacuate any domestic farm animals.

He strongly urged individuals, whether driving or on foot, to avoid running water, especially if it's crossing a road.

"It certainly doesn't look at this stage that we'll have to face any major issues," Fredericks said. "Then again, with Mother Nature, it depends on how much rain and snow we get, and how fast."