Residents in suburban Gurnee are bracing for bad news this week as the Des Plaines River continues to rise after recent heavy rains.
According to city officials, flood stage for the river at Gurnee is approximately seven feet, but water levels could go as high as 11 feet by Monday. That news has led to several road closures across Lake County, and has impacted businesses along Route 132 near O’Plaine Road.
“It’s getting a little bit closer,” salesman Rob Altmann said. “All I can do is be prepared. It’s getting deeper by the minute.”
Other rivers in the area are also on the rise because of heavy rains that fell across the area while a warm front was parked over the region. According to an email from the Lake County Emergency Management Agency, approximately 400 properties along the Fox River and Chain O’Lakes could be impacted by flooding if the water reaches predicted levels. The county has posted a map with the latest information on potential flooding, and is asking residents to brace themselves for the potential for waters to overtake some properties.
Fortunately for some residents, forecasted rains that were expected to hit Lake County on Saturday night did not develop as expected, drifting southwest of the inundated area.
Despite that reprieve, some residents are still flabbergasted at just how much water the area has had to deal with.
“It’s been ongoing year after year,” Gurnee resident Jack McClory said. “It’s a hassle to try to drive around it to get from one side of town to the other.”
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Photos: Flooding Hits Lake County After Major Storms
County officials are warning residents to be wary of floodwaters, and not to drive through flooded intersections.
The National Weather Service’s latest bulletins report that the Des Plaines River could exceed major flood stage by Monday, but that the river is expected to crest by Monday afternoon.
Residents in the impacted communities are urged to help the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission assess flooding by sending photos to the group’s webpage.
