Gurnee officials: Sandbags stay for now
Gurnee officials are asking homeowners and businesses to not to remove those sandbags just yet.
Mayor Kristina Kovarik said the Des Plaines River is not dropping fast enough to allow anyone to let down their guard, and sandbags should remain in place until Thursday -- after forecasted rain sweeps through the area.
"The water is receding slowly right now, but not fast enough for our liking," Kovarik said this morning. "We need to stay in crisis mode for a couple more days, then we'll have an un-sandbagging gathering at the end of the week."
The Des Plaines River near Gurnee stands at 9.45 feet above normal levels, or about two-and-a-half feet above flood levels.
She said that number has been falling about six-inches a day, not enough to start clean up efforts. Rain is forecasted Wednesday, which could cause flood levels to increase slightly, she added.
"It shouldn't get any worse as long as the rain stays away," Kovarik said. "But, we are being cautious."
The good news for the Chain O' Lakes area is water levels have crested and are starting to drop in New Munster, Wis.
On Friday, the Fox River topped out at New Munster at 15 feet above normal levels. The gauge is at 14.15 feet above normal levels -- four-feet above flood levels.
The Chain rose about an inch or two Sunday night, but officials hope the water will crest this afternoon.
Fox Lake is at 6.92 feet above normal pool, up from 6.8 late Sunday evening. Flood stage is about 5.5 feet over normal summer pools.
Water remains in crawlspaces and basements along all low lying areas throughout Fox Lake, specifically at King's Island subdivision off Route 12, Knollwood Park subdivision off Route 59, and most side streets along Grand Avenue in the middle of town.
Locations along the Chain in Fox Lake and Antioch Township seem to be the hardest hit areas with about 400 homes affected by flood waters. However, areas along the Fox River in Johnsburg, McHenry, Fox River Grove, Algonquin, Island Lake and Cary all report flooding.
Rita Lee, water hydraulist for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, said the Fox River is at capacity and overflowing its banks. That's why water levels have crested and actually started to drop between Johnsburg and El-gin, she said.
For the first time during the week-long flood, more water is being sent through the system than is coming in, Lee said. About 4,500-cubic-feet-per-second is coming into the Chain from Wisconsin, but 5,940-cubic-feet-per-second is being sent down river.
Because of that out-flow, water levels should drop on the Chain and Fox River in coming days.
"It'll be slow at first, but it will start to decrease," Lee said. "Now, we are just waiting for water to crest on the Chain, then it ill start to drop pretty rapidly."