Flooded areas don't let guard down

Residents and business owners in Lake County affected by flooding are being cautioned against taking too large a sigh of relief.

Officials said while floodwaters may finally be receding around the Chain O' Lakes, Fox River and Des Plaines River, the battle is not completely over.

Officials say about 400 homeowners were fighting the flood waters, which were as deep as 4 feet in some areas near the Chain O' Lakes. The water now has started to drop, said Ed Lescher, head of Fox Lake's Emergency Services Disaster Agency.

However, he warns the National Weather Service is predicting a 40 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms today, which could add some more water to already soggy basements.

"Don't clean up anything too soon," he warned Tuesday. "While the water is going down slowly, it could go right back up after the rain forecasted (for today)."

The National Weather Service is also predicting seven clear days after today's predicted storm.

Water levels slowly starting dropping late Monday night and continued throughout the day Tuesday on the Chain O' Lakes.

Officially, gauges on Fox Lake are sitting at 6.88 feet above normal, down a couple of inches from Monday.

In Gurnee, the Des Plaines River was expected to recede to 8.5 feet Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. That's still above the river's 7-foot flood stage.

Gurnee and Fox Lake officials have asked businesses owners and homeowners in the typical flood zones to keep sandbags in place until the next storm passes and the official all clear sign is posted.

Lescher added that in Fox Lake, the village has talked with emergency directors for Lake County and Illinois about cleanup issues.

He is asking that people replace all drywall that was saturated, use bleach and water to clean floors and to be on the lookout for mold and mildew.