Illinois

Fox River Crests Just Under Record Level Tuesday Afternoon

The Fox River crested in suburban Algonquin Tuesday afternoon at just under record levels one week after heavy rainfall led to massive flooding in the area. 

The river crested at 12.37 feet as of around 1 p.m., officials said. That's just under the record of 12.7 feet set during 2013 floods int he area. 

Flood concerns had continued to rise along with the water levels Tuesday morning as residents continued to salvage and protect what they could. 

Carp swim down part of Grand Avenue as floodwaters continue to fill up streets in Gurnee. 

"The Fox River will be cresting at record levels here over the next few days," Gov. Bruce Rauner said Sunday. "Obviously the further south, the later the crest will occur and it's going to stay very high at record levels for the next several days."

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A disaster proclamation was issued Friday for Kane, McHenry, and Lake counties after days of heavy rainfall that began late Tuesday.

Rauner added Cook County to that proclamation Sunday.

“With flood waters impacting communities in Cook County, I’m adding the county to the state disaster proclamation to ensure we provide responders the resources they need to continue protecting public health and safety,” Rauner said in a statement. 

The proclamation makes a variety of state resources available to impacted residents, including sandbags, pumps, trucks and other equipment. It directs Illinois Emergency Management Agency Director James Joseph to activate the State Emergency Operations Center to coordinate requests for assistance.

So far, the state has provided 350,000 sandbags to Lake County and 100,000 sandbags to McHenry County, according to Rauner's statement, with 50,000 headed to Kane County on Monday and 350,000 additional sandbags to be delivered around northern Illinois.

A large part of a Lake County road collapsed due to floodwaters Wednesday, shutting down the roadway as crews work to repair it. The Lake County Division of Transportation said Gages Lake Road from Illinois Route 21 to Hunt Club Road was closed Wednesday afternoon “due to floodwaters washing out a large culvert and collapsing the road just east of...

In Russell, near the border of Wisconsin, the Des Plaines River reached a high of 12.15 feet on Friday, according to the National Weather Service, shattering the 2004 record of 11.09 feet. Near Lincolnshire, the river crested at 16.53 feet on Wednesday, breaking yet another record.

Near north suburban Gurnee, the river was expected to reach around 11.9 feet Saturday - a height that was last seen in 1986. 

Water levels began falling Sunday, with forecasts showing the river dropping to below its 7-foot flood stage sometime between Wednesday night and early Thursday. [[434038743, C]]

No deaths or injuries have been reported so far in the floods, according to Rauner, who added that at least 6,800 buildings were damaged across the northern suburbs.

Residents of communities impacted by the floods were asked to avoid the high waters, which may be contaminated, and to avoid traveling through standing water while driving.

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