Boating restrictions lifted on the Chain O' Lakes, Fox River
Boaters on the Chain O' Lakes and Fox River can again open the throttle because restrictions were lifted Friday by the Fox Waterway Agency.
Ron Barker, executive director of the Fox Lake-based agency, said water levels dropped enough between the Algonquin Dam and the Wisconsin state line to allow open boating.
“However, we are urging that all captains be on the lookout for floating and submerged debris that were pried loose during the high-water period,” he said.
Barker placed no-wake restrictions on the Fox River on Monday and the Chain on Tuesday after heavy rain fell during the previous week. No-wake restricts boating speeds to no more than 5 mph, or slow enough that a boat doesn't create a wake.
When the Chain was ordered closed, the waterway was about a 1 foot over normal summer pool levels.
However, Friday readings on the Fox Waterway Agency website at foxwaterway.state.il.us shows water levels dropped about 2 inches overnight.
“After not getting rain for three days, we felt the water went down sufficiently enough to make it safe to open,” Barker said.
He warned that if heavy rain falls this weekend, there's a chance boating on the Fox River and Chain O' Lakes could be restricted next week.
“We are hopeful we will have a dry weekend, but we'll just have to wait and see,” he said.