Des Plaines River cresting, but flooding along Fox expected to worsen
Residents in communities along the Des Plaines River should see floodwaters begin to recede Monday, but their counterparts living beside the Fox River may not be as fortunate.
Both rivers swelled following the latest round of heavy storms Friday night, with the Des Plaines River expected to reach major flood stage at some point Monday in Lincolnshire and just below it in Gurnee and Des Plaines, according to the National Water Prediction Service.
Forecasters predict the Fox River to continue rising in coming days, cresting just below 12 feet — considered major flood stage — Thursday in Algonquin.
According to a flood warning issued Sunday, at 12 feet structures would be threatened along River Street, Johnson Street and Maiden Lane in East Dundee; North Harrison Street in Algonquin; and Washington Street in Carpentersville. Bayview Road and low-lying areas of Festival Park in Elgin also would be at risk, according to the alert.
In Des Plaines, one of the hardest-hit areas over the years has been the neighborhood along Big Bend Drive. Over the past decade, the city has purchased and demolished several flood-prone homes there.
“Beautiful homes,” said Jim Good, who lives on nearby Elk Boulevard with his wife, Allison. “They were like $600,000 homes. And they made them tear them all down.”
The Goods said the worst flooding they saw was in 2008. Allison said it was so bad at one point, “We had our daughters, when they were younger, on a little canoe on the street. That says it all.”
Resident Valentin Vinogradov and his son, David, and daughter, Lia, watched Sunday as floodwaters rose in their backyard and in their basement.
They said they would not be sleeping Sunday night and are putting in a second pump to help one that’s been running 24/7.
The family knew the risk when they moved in about five years ago and has experienced flooding since, though never as bad as this weekend’s.
Still, Lia said, they like living close to the river and its beauty.
“We say it’s worth the flooding,” she said.