East Dundee couple copes with flooding before wedding

Welcome to the neighborhood.

In the three years Lars and Jenny Overland have lived in their East Dundee home at 306 Water St., most of their neighbors have made them feel part of the riverside neighborhood.

This month, two of their neighbors - the Fox River that runs in front of their house and the creek that runs behind their two-story home, came calling. The meeting wasn't pretty and the neighbors have overstayed their welcome.

A stormy July pushed both waterways above their banks and into their basement and front and back yards. The couple heard the Fox could be overbearing, but they have never seen such persistence, Jenny said.

Until now, the view from their home has been scenic and tranquil.

"We've heard the property floods, but we weren't worried about it," she said.

After the water started seeping into their basement, they were annoyed like many people who live near them. Last week, they were shocked how quickly the river rose and overtook their property.

Family, friends and neighbors helped ease the watery blow by filling sandbags, loaning pumps and offering to help with their 1-year-old daughter Josephine.

Many basements in East Dundee's Water Street neighborhood took in water. The Overlands' home was the hardest hit, though. At times, they had two feet of water in their basement and seven inches of water in their yards. Roads to their homes were flooded and closed.

"We have eight pumps running," Jenny said. "The only thing we lost was our hot water heater. The important stuff, like pictures and papers, were in plastic bins.

"Thank God for plastic bins. They kept the valuables dry."

Luckily, the living area of their home did not flood. Water did not reach the basement's electrical box, so they are good to stay in the house. If it did, they'd have to leave, and they don't want to.

Wading through the water and stepping over a wall of sandbags to reach their back porch is an inconvenience. The couple, however, has another good reason not to leave: they are planning their August wedding.

The Fox and the creek are not going to stop nor ruin it. And it won't keep them from honeymooning in Norway.

"We're going to go anyways," Lars said. "By then, the water should be gone. I've always wanted to go and see my family there."

If the weather stays dry, the water will be gone by the time they walk down the aisle, said Adam Peters, East Dundee interim public works director.

"The river has already started going down. It should be another two weeks before it gets to a manageable level," Peters said. "That home was the hardest hit. The creek and the river had no place to go."

The last time the Water Street neighborhood flooded was four years ago. People who live in it along North Street and Barrington Avenue know what to do. They keep their sump pumps in working order and have a few other pumps to take the water to the street.

Also, they know not to keep anything valuable in their basements.

The Overlands now know what to do. They have flood insurance. They are not thinking about claims at this time. They are concentrating on drying out and planning their wedding.

In a few years, when everything is dry and they are laughing at this prenuptial experience, they may move to another house, Lars said.

"We'll move because we'll need a bigger house," he said. "This (flood) may hurry up our decision, though."