Chicago Flooding: Live blog updates

The rain has gone, but the water it left behind is still making life miserable for a large number of Chicago-area residents. Many of the local rivers have crested but are still at flood stage, and most of the roads closed by flooding have re-opened. But it’s a long way to normal -- and more rain is in the forecast for Monday and Tuesday.

See the latest photos | Complete video coverage | Your weather photos | Weather conditions

Wheaton says to evacuate homes near levee    Permalink 9:52 p.m.

As of 9:30 p.m. Saturday police were recommending all residents in the area of the 1700 block of Brentwood Lane should leave their homes after a levee in the area was in danger of failing, a Wheaton police officer said.

The officer said no injuries have been reported.

Authorities were worried for the past “several hours’’ about the levee, and Saturday night reverse 911 calls were placed to residents with the suggestion they evacuate, the officer said.

An emailed press release from Wheaton stated that the Lake 4 retention pond to the north of Brentwood Lane in the Briarcliffe subdivision is currently leaking but stable, causing the potential for the berm to breach. Homes in the immediate area could experience flooding if this occurs, the statement said.

The city is recommending evacuation of residences in the area bounded by: Brentwood Lane to the north, Nottingham Lane to the west, Windsor Drive to the south, and Cheshire Lane to the east, according to the statement.

This evacuation is recommended until further notice. Anyone needing temporary shelter can go to the emergency shelter at the Krasa Center at Benedictine University, 5700 College Road in Lisle.

Further information will be posted to the city’s website or will be available by calling the Wheaton Police Department at 630-260-2161.

Rosemary Regina Sobol
Elgin mayor: 'Pretty good shape by Monday'    Permalink 4:41 p.m.

Kane County cities located in the Fox River Valley are reporting improved conditions Saturday, as water started to recede.
 
In Elgin, the Tyler and Poplar creeks, whose overflow was responsible for much of the road closures and flood damage in the area, have receded significantly in the last 24 hours, said Elgin Mayor David Kaptain.

About 50 to 75 homes in Elgin have seen some amount of flooding, and about four families were evacuated. But the city is already beginning the cleanup process and the return to normalcy.

“We'll be in pretty good shape by Monday,” Kaptain said.

He said this year’s flooding situation benefited from a mutual assistance program that nearby communities participated in. Kaptain said that he, along with officials from Hanover Park, Hoffman Estates, Bartlett and other villages, met in summer 2012 to discussed disaster prevention in situations like the flooding.

“It got everybody thinking about it,” he said. “It really paid us dividends this time.”

In St. Charles, where the water already significantly receded by Friday morning, officials said they’re prepared to start cleanup work as soon as the Fox River reaches its crest and starts to recede.

As of Saturday afternoon, the Illinois Street Bridge over the Fox River was still closed because of high water, said St. Charles Police Sgt. Lin Dargis.

He said the flood resulted in some residents getting water in their backyards, but overall no one has been displaced.

“It’s been a few years that we’ve seen so much rain,” Dargis said.

Geneva has reported doing relatively better in comparison to other communities in the Fox River Valley because its riverfront is mostly open space. Most roads were already open on Friday.

But the city did not completely escape the effects of the flooding.

“We definitely have endured our share of pain,” said Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns. “Quite a few basements flooded, including my own.”

As of Saturday afternoon, Island Park and one vacant building, which used to house Mill Race Inn, near the Fox River were still under water.

The property that had been among the most in peril was the Herrington Inn & Spa. But after hundreds of volunteers helped the business with sandbagging the area, the hotel did not sustain any flooding damage aside from getting some water in its backyard, Burns said.

“It showed the spirit of volunteerism at our community,” Burns said.

Alexandra Chachkevitch
Flood waters leave, Plainfield begins to dry out    Permalink 4:08 p.m.

Floodwaters from the DuPage River had receded from Plainfield lawns Saturday morning, leaving homeowners and village officials to deal with cleanup.

More welcome news came Saturday. Mayor Mike Collins said all roads – except Naperville Road north of 135th Street – were open again and water levels were significantly lower than they were Friday afternoon, though some standing water remained on a few fields and along the riverfront.

"Mother Nature is taking care of us and getting rid of it," Collins said.

Across the village, street crews were busy working on road shoulders to replace gravel that had been washed away, Collins said. The village also is having inspectors take a look at Indian Boundary Road to ensure the road has not been compromised because of flooding.

He said residents will be allowed to return used sandbags to the village's public works building at 14400 S. Coil Plus Drive. Meanwhile, residents who have asked Plainfield Emergency Management Agency volunteers to help them pump out basements have been asked to wait until all water seepage has stopped, Collins said.

 

Alicia Fabbre
Caton Farm Road closed in Joliet    Permalink 4:07 p.m.

A section of Caton Farm Road west of Illinois Route 59 in Joliet remains closed, officials said Saturday.
 
Joliet Public Works Director Jim Trizna said the city hopes to have the street re-opened in time for Monday morning traffic.

"That's the goal now," he said.

Standing water on the east and west legs of Caton Farm Road leading to a bridge prompted city officials to close the road. Though the water has receded off the roadway, water levels remained high, Trizna said.

The bridge had been scheduled for replacement in 2016, Trizna said, adding the bridge likely will be inspected once floodwaters recede to see if any repairs are needed now.
 

Alicia Fabbre
Albany Park church loses piano, organ to flood    Permalink 4:02 p.m.

Albany Park's streets have mostly dried and the floodwaters have receded, but residents in this Northwest Side neighborhood are still cleaning up waterlogged buildings.

At the First Temple of Universal Law at 5030 N. Drake Ave., just feet from the Chicago River, maintenance worker Tony Tader was cleaning up the mud-soaked basement Saturday afternoon.

The temple's basement had 2 to 3 feet of water, Tader said, damaging the piano and organ. 

Mitchell Smith
Worst yet to come in Chain O' Lakes flooding    Permalink 2:48 p.m.

In unincorporated Lake County, hundreds of homes along the Chain O’ Lakes are already flooded or bracing for a deluge expected when the water crests Monday or Tuesday, said Mark Ring, highway commissioner for Antioch Township.

Workers have distributed 1,500 tons of sand to about 200 addresses along an 85-mile area within the township, Ring said. Residents are pitching in and filling 40,000 sand bags to protect their homes, he said.

“Virtually hundreds of homes are flooding and trying their best to hold back,” said Ring, who has heard conflicting reports on when the chain is expected to crest. “There are people who have abandoned their homes.”

It is too early to begin clean up or estimate damage, as the workers prepare for the worst to come, he said.

“We are very busy dealing with this. I can tell you the entire Chain O’ Lakes and Fox River have been adversely impacted by this flood. I have been employed at Antioch Township since 1977 and this flooding is by far worse than anything I’ve seen,” Ring said. “The damage will be substantial.”

Meanwhile, the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort closed and evacuated hotel guests due to flooding that blocked its main entranceway and covered much of the golf course. Officials expect to reopen Sunday afternoon, said spokeswoman Stephanie Hampton.

“Though the water continues to recede, there is still water on the road and in some parking lots,” she said.

The resort canceled Saturday performances at its theater and will announce later if Sunday’s events will take place.

 

Lisa Black
Naperville's back in business, but cleanup continues    Permalink 1:54 p.m.

By Saturday morning, all downtown streets and bridges in Naperville were open.

Cars meandered down Water Street instead of ducks, much of the caution tape had disappeared from the Riverwalk and sandbags no longer blocked storefronts. As the sun came out, so did the typical rush of shoppers and diners.

Kellyn Machacek, owner of Baubles by Maclyn, said closing for two days was tough on the store and she was happy to open the doors Saturday, especially so close to Mother’s Day.

Stores like Ootra, which sits right along the river, were back in business as well.

"We’re just glad it's over," manager Natalie Arturo said.

Downtown recovery may take the longest at Centennial Beach, which Naperville Park District Executive Director Ray McGury described Saturday as "a mess." While filling the swimming area with water typically takes three hydrants six days, the rain filled it in a matter of five hours, then kept on going.

McGury said crews will spend the next few days pumping the water out before cleaning and sanitizing the walls of the swimming area by hand. Then they’ll refill it.

"The beach is going to have some extensive cleanup, but unless Mother Nature pulls another trick on us, we'll be open on time Memorial Day weekend," he said.

Elsewhere in the city crews are continuing to clean up debris, remove fallen branches and manage pump stations, according to communications manager Linda LaCloche.

Naper Boulevard on the city's east side remained closed between Abbeywood Drive and Green Trails Drive on Saturday, but LaCloche said Naper and a handful of smaller streets could re-open as early as mid-day Sunday once the water has receded.

The city will be reaching out to residents this week as they continue to assess damage and will use that data to determine whether it will qualify for state or federal aid.

Melissa Jenco
Des Plaines official: Work done on levee made our flooding worse.    Permalink 2:58 p.m.

Neighborly tensions are rising on the Des Plaines River, as Des Plaines village officials say neighboring Mount Prospect and Prospect Heights are to blame for some of their flooding woes.

But the mayor of Mount Prospect strongly denied that claim Saturday.

“The thing about Des Plaines is they’re good at lobbing bombs from a distance, but when it comes to making apologies, they’re unavailable,” said Irvana Wilks, mayor of Mount Prospect, which is situated on the Des Plaines River just north of the village of Des Plaines.

Late Friday, Des Plaines sent out a news release saying that flooding was made worse by work done on Levee 37, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project designed to protect Mount Prospect and Prospect Heights.

On Saturday, Timothy Oakley, Des Plaines' director of public works and engineering, repeated that assertion and said Mount Prospect and Prospect Heights violated their state permit for the levee.

About 2,200 parcels of land in the Des Plaines area were flooded by Thursday's storm, Oakley said. He didn't know yet exactly how much worse the Levee 37 dam made flooding in Des Plaines, but said it raised the water level of the Des Plaines River by a couple inches.

"It's enough to make a difference between some people flooding and not flooding," Oakley said in a Saturday interview.

At issue is whether Mount Prospect inappropriately filled a 600-foot gap in the dam. The Levee 37 dam is located on the east side of the Des Plaines River, north of Euclid Avenue. The gap is supposed to be maintained until the Heritage Park Reservoir, located in Wheeling and under construction, is completed, Oakley said. Once that reservoir is complete, the gap can be filled and rising water would be diverted there.

But prior to the storm, Mount Prospect filled in that gap, Oakley said, causing the river to swell downstream and worsening the flooding. The gap was filled with concrete barriers, sand and plastic sheeting, forming a permanent wall there, he said.

But Wilks laughed at that assertion, saying that the gap was only partially filled by jersey barriers and sand bags that would be removed in the next couple of days. The measure was only temporary and could not have made flooding worse in Des Plaines, she said.

“The rise in water would have been so miniscule,” Wilks said.

Mount Prospect typically builds a wall of jersey barriers and sand bags in the middle of River Road, she said.
The wall serves as an anchor for the pump that sends stormwater into the river. But Levee 37, a mile-long structure completed in 2011, got in the way – so Mount Prospect built its wall in the gap.

Wilks said the village got appropriate permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to build the temporary wall in the dam’s gap.

“We were always given the understanding that it was OK to fight floods the way we always have,” Wilks said.

But Oakley said filling the gap just before the storm significantly affected the “profile of the river” and that his calls to Mount Pleasant village hall were not returned.

“Mount Prospect and Prospect Heights violated their permit and created increased flood and related hazards for our residents by filling a required gap in Levee 37 that increased flooding in the City of Des Plaines," said acting Mayor Mark Walsten in Friday’s news release. "We call on them to clear the gap immediately and restore the levee to full compliance with the law and the IDNR permit.”

The Des Plaines River crested Friday at noon at 10.92 feet, according to the National Weather Service. At 11:45 a.m. Saturday, it was down to 10.61 feet.

Des Plaines is still reeling from the flood and 18 street closures remain in effect, including Big Bend Drive, and portions of River Road, Oakton Street, Busse Highway, Golf Road, Algonquin Road and Lee Street. Northwest Highway has been reopened.

A spokeswoman for the Des Plaines Fire Department said emergency responders rescued 70 people from flooding homes, 15 from cars and one from the river.

Gregory Trotter
McHenry County struggling with rising water    Permalink 11:15 a.m.

Communities in McHenry County along the Fox River have continued to struggle with flooding as water kept rising Saturday morning.

Officials estimate between 350 and 400 homes in the unincorporated area of the county were affected by the flooding, said McHenry County Emergency Management Association Director David Christensen.

As of Saturday morning, officials expect water in Fox River to crest on Sunday at about 10 a.m. But in some parts of the area, water has started to go down, such as at Nippersink Creek in the north of the county, Christensen said.

Christensen said officials will begin preliminary damage assessment in the area on Monday.

"(Residents and officials) are all still fighting the fight out there," Christensen said, referring to continuing sandbagging efforts in the communities.

Alexandra Chachkevitch
High water still plagues Lake County    Permalink 11:08 a.m.

Hundreds of homes along the Fox River and Chain O' Lakes remain threatened by flooding Saturday morning, with workers hauling sandbags, clearing debris from culverts and recommending that residents leave their homes.

Even in areas where the Des Plaines River has already crested, the waters were not receding and could pose more problems for homeowners, said Kent McKenzie, coordinator for Lake County Emergency Management.

Black ice early Saturday didn’t help matters; one Lake County public works truck slid off Milwaukee Road near Libertyville, he said. No one was injured, but, "They had to get IDOT out there and salt the roads, which is the last thing you think about during a flood event," McKenzie said.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources predicted that the flooding would hit a record set in 1960, he said.

He does not expect to assess property damage until next week, most likely not before Tuesday, as the county continues to deal with the immediate crisis.

In Lincolnshire, "we know that there were nearly 50 homes or more that had to be evacuated because of significant flooding," McKenzie said.

He estimates that 400 to 500 homes along the Fox River will be impacted, though many residents chose to remain in their homes, he said.

Lisa Black
Brookfield Zoo re-opens today    Permalink 9:34 a.m.

The Brookfield Zoo, closed Thursday and Friday because of flooding brought on by the heavy rains this week, will re-open today.

According to a release on the zoo Web site, the zoo will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and will resume normal operating hours Sunday. 

Some exhibits will be closed on Saturday, and because of that, admission is free, though parking fees and special attraction fees will still apply.

Among the exhibits expect to be closed are: Fragile Kingdom; Feathers & Scales; Great Bear Wilderness; Dinosaurs Alive!; Dragonfly Marsh; and Australia House.

Two events planned for Sunday -- Party for the Planet and an electronic recycling event – will go on as scheduled.

Staff report
Expressways nearly all open; some local roads still under water    Permalink 1:34 p.m.

River Road south of Northwest Highway in Des Plaines remains closed due to flooding on Saturday.  (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)


According to a release from the city of Aurora, all roads are at least partially open. Orchard Road between Galena Boulevard and Prairie Street is now only a single lane in each direction, but because of standing water in the area, the speed limit has been lowered to 20 m.p.h.

In addition, traffic signals at the intersections on Orchard with Galena, Coach & Surrey, and Prairie are flashing red lights, making those intersections 4-way stops. Traffic signals will be restored to normal operation once all lanes have been opened.

In addition, the eastbound ramp to I-88 at Diehl Road in Aurora has re-opened.

Expressways around Chicagoland are back to normal, but a number of other roads are still affected by the flooding caused by the massive midweek rainstorm.

I-55 has re-opened between Interstate 80 and Illinois Highway 6 southwest of Joliet. The southbound side re-opened about 9:45 a.m.; the northbound side had re-opened earlier this morning, according to the Joliet State Police District.

The interchange where I-94 northbound meets I-57 southbound re-opened this morning, according to the Chicago State Police District. And all the other interchanges, including those connecting to the tollways, are open, according to state police.

Local roads are another story, especially in lower-lying areas near rivers that have been beset by heavy flooding. That includes Des Plaines, Gurnee, Orland Park among others.

According to a release from the city of Aurora, all roads are at least partially open. Orchard Road between Galena Boulevard and Prairie Street is now only a single lane in each direction, but because of standing water in the area, the speed limit has been lowered to 20 m.p.h.

In addition, traffic signals at the intersections on Orchard with Galena, Coach & Surrey, and Prairie are flashing red lights, making those intersections 4-way stops. Traffic signals will be restored to normal operation once all lanes have been opened.

Also, the eastbound ramp to I-88 at Diehl Road in Aurora has re-opened.

In Naperville, Washington Street is no longer closed south of Royce Road. However, Naper Boulevard remains closed between Abbeywood Drive and Green Trails Drive as standing water covers a portion of the road.

Chicago police said that Foster Avenue is closed between Kimball Avenue and Pulaski Road for cleanup.

Staff report
Elmhurst family faces 3rd flood cleanup in 3 years    Permalink 9:27 p.m.

Furniture ruined by flooding is piled on the curb in Elmhurst.
(Annemarie Mannion, Chicago Tribune)

Piles of water-logged carpet, mud-smeared mattresses, and broken furniture are an all too familiar sight on Washington Street in Elmhurst where residents are struggling to recover from the third flood in three years.

"It's the same thing over again," said Mary Stasch of the 700 block of Washington Street. Read more.

Annemarie Mannion
Downers Grove flooding: 'We were like an island'    Permalink 9:14 p.m.

Lawns underwater near 60th Street and Fairview Avenue. (Dawn Rhodes, Tribune photo)

Rezzy Azzam couldn't stop shaking her head and sometimes seemed at a loss for words as she took in the damage to her Downers Grove home Friday afternoon.

Her back and front yards were completely flooded. Mud and debris were left smeared and scattered on the paths and driveways. Twelve feet of filthy water sat in her basement. And that was after much of the water receded.

"We were like an island," Azzam said Friday, wearing black galoshes to survey the scene. "I'm in shock. We didn't know what to do." Read more.

Dawn Rhodes
Flooding closes Morton Arboretum    Permalink 8:35 p.m.

Flooding at the Morton Arboretum (Handout)

The Morton Arboretum will remain closed to the public Saturday and Sunday due to extensive flooding. The arboretum has been closed since Thursday.

All public events are canceled, and rescheduling details will be available early next week, according to a release from the arboretum.

The arboretum's phone system is down and is expected to remain down for several days.

Staff report
Hillside evacuees describe flood    Permalink 7:46 p.m.

Food victims from Hillside are evacuated to a community center in Des Plaines and aided by the Red Cross. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

Cleanup begins in the Albany Park neighborhood    Permalink 7:28 p.m.

Sandbags line the streets in the Albany Park neighborhood, the day after heavy rain brought severe flooding to Chicago area residents.
 

Phil Velasquez, Chicago Tribune
Des Plaines river swollen with flood waters    Permalink 6:48 p.m.

Chicago Tribune reporter Matthew Walberg reports on the flooding of the Des Plaines river, which reached a new record of 11 feet, 9 inches over the flood stage. 

Tribune video
Lisle resident: 'Everything I own is gone'    Permalink 6:42 p.m.

Lisle resident Frencshun Reece describes the scene after her home was flooded with 8 feet of water.

Tribune video
Homeowner returns to Forest View: 'It's shocking'    Permalink 6:40 p.m.

Uriel Sandoval, 50, peeked from the outside through a window of his two-story brick home in Forest View that he and his family fled Friday morning as the water edged toward it.

The home eventually flooded, as did dozens of others in the tiny western suburb. Part of the levy along the Des Plaines River broke near 46th Street and Harlem Avenue, inundating the town, officials said.

“It’s shocking,” Sandoval said. “I don’t know what we’re going to do. I don’t know what we lost.”

A little further down Maple Avenue, Adam Jurevic, of Chicago, was checking on his brother’s home. He said rescuers took his brother and his wife and child from their home by boat about midnight Thursday.

Jurevic said his brother had just finished remodeling the home after floodwaters destroyed it several years ago.

“He lost everything,” Jurevic said. “He’s not going to move back in again, he said he’s going to start over.”

Most of the people whose homes were hit by the flood had already found other shelter, but authorities went door to door checking each home as gapers filmed the damage with cell phones. 

Joseph Ruzich
Truck lodged on boulder in Lisle after flooding    Permalink 6:32 p.m.

Chicago Tribune reporter Matthew Walberg describes the scene in Lisle after massive flooding left a truck suspended on a boulder.

Tribune video
Glen Ellyn cleans up: 'A time-consuming effort'    Permalink 5:35 p.m.

The village of Glen Ellyn was in recovery mode on Friday, cleaning up streets and collecting barricades.

“There are no huge challenges. It’s just a time-consuming effort,” said Dave Buckley, assistant director of public works. Read more.

Quan Truong
Naperville starts to 'catch up on life'    Permalink 5:28 p.m.

Downtown Naperville was a mix of clean-up and commerce Friday in the wake of flooding that left several streets under water.

While some stores’ entrances were blocked by sandbags and closed signs, for others it was business as usual.

Morning bridge closures didn’t seem to stop motorists from making their way through the heart of the city, although foot traffic appeared lighter than usual -- likely due in part to frigid temperatures and a bit of snow.

“Today it’s everyone in cars trying to … catch up on life,” said Mary Anne Frantik, assistant manager of Naper Nuts and Sweets. Read more.

Melissa Jenco
Wheaton tallies flood costs: 'One of the big ones'    Permalink 5:06 p.m.

With his rag in one hand while standing over a muddy floor, Russell Chapin cracked a smile, and even the occasional joke.

“If all you can do is cry, you just add water to the rain,” he said.

The owner of the Animal Medical Center in Wheaton has had better moments. His business of more than three decades, off South Main and Illinois streets, was one of the hardest hit during the flood. Read more.

Quan Truong
Barges break free on Illinois River at Marseilles    Permalink 4:15 p.m.

Seven barges broke free on the swollen Illinois River and came to rest against the dam and lock at Marseilles.

Authorities said there were no injuries and no pollution into the water. Three of the barges were partly submerged against the dam, they said.

The Dale A. Heller tow boat was heading down the river, approaching the entrance of the lock, when strong currents pushed the tow toward the dam, authorities said. Marseilles police shut down the Main Street Bridge, downstream from the dam, in case the barges pass through the dam.

Westmont police chief: Worse than 1986    Permalink 3:55 p.m.

In Westmont, Police Chief Tom Mulhearn remembers the storm of 1986 being bad, but this week’s storm was worse.

He estimated that 50 percent of the buildings and homes in the community were water damaged on Thursday.

For hours after the storm, nearly 40 percent of the roadways in Westmont were blocked, during peak travel hours for residents.

“The rush hour struck me as the worst and the hardest to deal with,” Mulhearn said.

By Friday, the urgency of the flood had subsided as most of the roadways had been reopened and residents had moved on to the dilemmas of how to disinfect or clean property that had been water damaged, he said.

Vikki Ortiz Healy
Lisle mayor: Flood shows 'mean side' of nature    Permalink 3:27 p.m.

In Lisle, Mayor Joe Broda estimated that 100 homes were still under water Friday, and another 1,000 residents of the Four Lakes Village -- a community of apartments, condominiums and town homes -- were still displaced.

“Mother Nature can show her mean side,” said Broda, who maintains that the damage to his village is the worst he’s seen in 35 years.

Because the phone system at City Hall was taken out by the storm, village board members have been helping to answer phones at the Lisle Police Department, which has received a deluge of calls from concerned residents, Broda said.

Overnight, the Lisle Fire Department used boats to extinguish a house fire on one of the residential streets that had been submerged by water. The home likely caught fire from a short circuit caused by electricity mixing with flood water, Broda said.

And while the water has receded on some roadways and in homes, many streets remain closed and houses evacuated because they must be inspected before being used again.

“It’s really difficult when you look at the big picture," Broda said. “It might be another day before the water’s totally gone.”
 

Vikki Ortiz Healy
shelter resident: 'All our items were floating'    Permalink 2:09 p.m.

Sarah DaSilva and her daughter, Marianna, 5,  of Maywood, rest at a Red Cross shelter inside the student center at Benedictine University in Lisle.   (Alex Garcia, Chicago Tribune)

Bob Walsh, manager of a Red Cross Shelter at Benedictine University in Lisle, said the organization has served 180 people since opening up on Thursday morning. But many of those people found accommodations with family and friends, he said. 

About 39 people slept on cots at the shelter Thursday night.
 
Michi Dubes, the Emergency Preparedness Manager at Benedictine, said the shelter will most likely be open through Friday night and possibly a third day.

“We hope most people will find other accommodations by that time, but we just don’t know what will happen at this point,” said Dubes. Red Cross officials also said they might provide hotel rooms for the remainder of those at the shelter this weekend.
 
Sarah Dasilva, 28, and her daughter, Marianna, 5, arrived at the shelter on Friday morning. They stayed at a friend’s home on Thursday, but found their Maywood basement apartment flooded on Friday morning. Maywood police officials told Dasilva to go to the shelter at Benedictine University. The mother and the daughter were sitting on a couch watching television.
 
“We walked into our apartment and all our items were floating,” said Dasilva. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I think we will try to stay at a hotel tonight. I am from the East Coast and have been through some bad storms there. I didn’t know that it could happen here too.”

Joe Ruzich
Water levels cresting in Will County    Permalink 1:39 p.m.

Water levels were cresting Friday afternoon in Will County, prompting the evacuation of about 30 homes on Canal Road along the DuPage River in far south suburban Channahon, county Emergency Management Director Harold Damron said.

Interstate 55 and other, smaller roadways remained closed because of flooding in the area.

A Red Cross shelter in Plainfield was closed down Thursday night, as aid workers were able to find housing for the remaining handful of flood victims, he said.

“It looks like the river levels are going down,” Damron said.

Pat Regan
Evacuations in Forest View    Permalink 1:31 p.m.
Tom Skilling on the April rains    Permalink 1:29 p.m.
Three downtown bridges in Naperville reopened    Permalink 1:27 p.m.

Three downtown Naperville bridges have reopened.

The Washington Street, Main Street and Jefferson Avenue bridges are now open. The Eagle Street bridge remains closed.

Road closures this morning led Naperville Unit District 203 and Indian Prairie Unit District 204 to cancel classes. Naper Settlement also is closed. All three Naperville Public Library locations are open.

For a full list of road closures visit www.naperville.il.us.

Melissa Jenco
Governor asks for federal help with flood recovery    Permalink 1:22 p.m.

Gov. Pat Quinn is spending a second day touring the flood damage around Illinois.

WGN-TV
Many western suburban roads reopen; remains closed    Permalink 1:16 p.m.

Main roads are open today in Oak Park and La Grange following flooding from Thursday’s heavy rains, officials said, but Brookfield Zoo remains closed. Zoo officials said they plan to be open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and return to a regular schedule Sunday.  Read more.

Michelle Manchir
No need to dog paddle    Permalink 12:44 p.m.

A man pulls a boat carrying his best friends though flooded streets.

Disaster declaration first step toward federal aid    Permalink 12:41 p.m.

Flooded streets and stranded autos remain the norm as water remains high along the 1700 block of Oakton Street in Des Plaines, following a day of storms and overflowing rivers. (Antonio Perez, Chicago Tribune) 
 

The governor’s declaration of 38 counties as state disaster areas is a preliminary step toward requesting federal emergency aid, officials said.

Mark Peterson, a Federal Emergency Management Agency spokesman, said his agency is monitoring reports of flood damage. But nothing formal would occur until local and state emergency officials assess all of the damage and – depending on the outcome -- if the governor requests a federal disaster declaration.

Those assessments could be days away, when the flood water finally recedes, said Patty Thompson, spokeswoman for the Illinois Emergency Management Association.

“Right now, there’s more response activity going on than damage assessment,” Thompson said. “So much of the area is still under water and many communities are still dealing with safety issues.”

Illinois has received federal emergency assistance several times in recent years.

In 2011, the state received $49 million for the “Snowmageddon” storms that crippled Chicago, and nearly $30 million in total assistance for rain storms that inundated the southern portion of Illinois later that year, according to FEMA.

The year before, the state received $380 million in total assistance for damage caused by severe rainstorms and flooding.

Antonio Olivo
Oakton Community College remains closed; Skokie Courthouse open    Permalink 12:05 p.m.

Oakton Community College in Des Plaines remains closed Friday because of flooding, but the Cook County Circuit Courthouse in Skokie is open again. Read more.

 

Alexandra Chachkevitch
Metra back to normal after worst delays in 6 months    Permalink 11:49 a.m.

Metra said today it was operating normally, one day after experiencing the worst delays in the past six months.

With the exception of the still-closed Berkeley station on the Union Pacific West Line, there were no significant aftereffects of the flooding, Metra spokeswoman Meg Reile said.

Metra was continuing to monitor bridges over flood swollen rivers and creeks, she said.

Some BNSF trains experienced minor delays today due to an erroneous report of a downed power line on or near the tracks near Fairview Ave in Downers Grove.

On Thursday, Metra experienced 137 weather-related delays, Reile said. Most occurred on the three UP lines during the morning rush as a result of a lightning strike that caused a switch problem at the Ogilvie Transportation Center.

Richard Wronski
Prairie Lakes Community Center shelters flood victims    Permalink 11:29 a.m.

Shelli Sarg, facility manager at Prairie Lakes Community Center talks with flood victim Willie Means, from Hillside, as his daughter Keyona Means, 2, and fiance Lydia Johnson open up gifts donated by Sarg on Friday, April 19, 2013. The family is staying at the community center in Des Plaines.   (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune) 

Raw video: Flooding in Naperville    Permalink 11:25 a.m.

Raw video scenes from Naperville, Ill. as floodwaters continue to inundate the downtown Riverwalk and Centennial Beach on Friday, April 19, 2013. (Katie Manker, Chicago Tribune)

Fox River still rising in Kane County    Permalink 10:54 a.m.

The Fox River in Kane County continues to rise, though some tributaries are starting to drop, according to Don Bryant, director of the Kane County Office of Emergency Management.

The river was at 12 feet this morning just below the Algonquin dam and was expected to peak late Saturday at 13 feet, he said. That would not set a record, but would cause widespread major flooding comparable to 2008.

Residents in South Elgin and East Dundee were asked to voluntarily evacuate their homes Thursday.

Some of the worst flooding continues to be on Tuscaloosa Street in Algonquin Shores on the west side of the river just south of downtown, where a number of homes along the river have flooded, and Grove Avenue in Valley View off Route 25 between Valley View and St. Charles on the east side of the river, which generally sits lower than the west side in Kane County.

Bryant said the county will seek to have an emergency declared.

Robert McCoppin
Rescues as levy breaks in Forest View    Permalink 10:48 a.m.

Rebecca Ogara, with younger sister Arianna Quezada, was evacuated by boat on Wenonah Drive in Forest View on Friday after floodwaters caused residents to evacuate. (Alex Garcia, Chicago Tribune)

The levy along the Des Plaines River near 46th street and Harlem Avenue in Forest View broke overnight, inundating the west suburb, according to Larry Brouk, the town's director of public safety.

“All night we’ve been watching the water rise and rescuing people from their homes, bringing them to safety,” said Brouk. “We have numerous surrounding fire and police departments on scene – we’ve been rescuing people all night and into the morning.”

Brouk said many who decided not to leave their homes Thursday are now requesting rescue this morning. In various parts of the town there is up to 4 feet of standing water, he said.

Police and fire rescue teams are using boats to get to the homes of Forest View residents, he said. In some areas, cars are almost fully underwater, Brouk said. “We’re now dealing with the people who want to come out of their homes now,” he said. “It’s hectic. We’re mostly making sure no one goes around barricades (near the river).”

No one has been reported injured or taken to a hospital as of this morning, Brouk said. While some Forest View residents have left the area to stay with friends or relatives, others are at a staging area at Home Elementary School in nearby Stickney, Brouk said.

“We want to get everyone who wants to leave to safety,” Brouk said. “Then we’ll just wait for the water to start receding so we can see the damage.”

Bridget Doyle
Raw video: Flooding in Des Plaines    Permalink 9:38 a.m.
Flurries in April    Permalink 8:28 a.m.
All downtown bridges in Naperville closed    Permalink 8:24 a.m.

Naperville has closed all downtown bridges because of flooding and is asking residents to avoid the downtown area.

The Washington, Main and Eagle Street bridges and the Jefferson Avenue bridge all are closed and police officers are directing traffic to alternate routes, according to city officials.

Due to the closures, Naperville Unit District 203 has cancelled classes.

For a full list of road closures visit www.naperville.il.us.

Melissa Jenco
Need something to look forward to?    Permalink 7:55 a.m.

The long range forecast offers hope for a drier pattern toward the end of the month and into early May.  The 8- to 14-day forecast from the Climate Prediction Center calls for drier, but cooler than average, conditions.

Click HERE for maps and details.

Check latest river stages in Chicago area    Permalink 7:46 a.m.

The National Weather Service tracks river stages and forecasts. Click HERE for the latest details.

Flood warning extended until 7:30 a.m. Saturday    Permalink 7:33 a.m.

Traffic backs up on Ogden Avenue, just east of La Grange Road in La Grange, on Friday due to many closed and flooded streets. (Antonio Perez, Chicago Tribune)

A flood warning has been extended until 7:30 a.m. Saturday for the following counties: Cook, Lake, DuPage, Will, McHenry, Kendall, Kane, Kankakee, LaSalle, Livingston, Ogle, Winnebago, Grundy, Boone, DeKalb, Lee and Lake County in Indiana.

The forecast for today calls for a chance of light rain or snow showers in the morning, then light rain showers or sprinkles this afternoon with the highs only in the middle 40s. There could be Wind gusts up to 40 mph.

Saturday should see clearing skies but still only in the middle 40s. By Sunday, we should see sunny skies and highs in the upper 50s.

Staff report
Evacuations continue in Des Plaines    Permalink 7:16 a.m.

Flooded streets remain the norm as residents take out personal belongings in the 300 block of Oak Street in Des Plaines, following a day of storms and overflowing rivers. (Antonio Perez, Chicago Tribune)

Des Plaines officials are offering help if people want to evacuate their homes in flooded areas of the northwest suburb, including Hawthrone Lane, Junior Terrace and Sherwood Road and the Big Bend Drive area.

"That started yesterday and continues today. It’s a voluntary evacuation," said Des Plaines spokeswoman Karen Kozenczak. "If people want to leave, they can do so."

"As of 9 a.m. they will be in the area and they can flag down the fire department or they can call 911," she said.

So far, 23 people have been evacuated from 10 houses from the affected area.

Peter Nickeas
The morning after: Most roads clear, rivers at flood stage    Permalink 7:08 a.m.

Most expressways are open this morning.

In the Chicago area, a stretch of the Bishop Ford remains closed between the I-57 split and 147th Street. Ramps are also closed in both directions from Interstate 290 to North Avenue, and to westbound Lake Street from I-290.

Farther south, Interstate 55 is closed at Highway 6. Southbound traffic is being diverted onto Interstate 80.

Meanwhile, all rivers in the Chicago area are at flood stage, with the worst flooding being reported at the Des Plaines River at Lemont and the Fox River at Algonquin.

Peter Nickeas
People evacuated from Des Plaines flood    Permalink 12:52 a.m.

Residents of the Big Bend neighborhood of Des Plaines are evacuated. (Chris Walker/Chicago Tribune)

Sandbagging in Albany Park    Permalink 10:52 p.m.

Residents and city crews sandbag homes in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago. (Phil Velasquez/Chicago Tribune)

Motorists escape from flooded cars in Plainfield    Permalink 9:18 p.m.

Fire department rescuers were called to three cars submerged in flood waters on Plainfield Naperville Road tonight but found the motorists climbing out the windows as they arrived.

After a day of flooding, but no reported drownings, Plainfield Deputy Fire Chief Jon Stratton said he feared the worst when he and his crew were dispatched at about 8 p.m.

“But no, those guys we’re climbing out when we got there,” Stratton said, relieved.
 
One silver car on the west side of Plainfield Naperville Road near 135th Street was completely submerged. When responders looking into the only window not underwater, they could verify no one was inside.

Two other cars – one silver, one red, Stratton said – were partially submerged on the east side of the road. All of the passengers in those cars made it out through windows.
 
The seven-man crew in flood gear responded with boats and fire vehicles to the scene, and they helped the unharmed passengers from the three vehicles to safety by 8:30 p.m.

“The one car was completely submerged,” Stratton said. “You could only see a tiny bit of it.”

Ellen Jean Hirst
Driving and floods    Permalink 8:22 p.m.

If there is any question about how deep floodwater is, experts say avoid driving through it. Beyond that, these guidelines apply.

Flood warning extended to early Friday    Permalink 7:56 p.m.

The National Weather Service has extended a flood warning for most of central and northern Illinois, including the entire Chicago area. Any river, stream or low-lying area could experience flooding. For the latest radar, conditions and forecasts go to the Chicago Weather Center on tribune.com.

Staff report
Cook County declared a disaster area    Permalink 7:36 p.m.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle today issued a disaster proclamation for Cook County.

The flooding, evacuations and damage continue "to pose a distinct threat to individuals, critical infrastructure and other property."

The Des Plaines River in Cook County is predicted to crest Friday at 11.5 feet, over the major flood stage of 9 feet, according to Preckwinkle's office.

“This historic level of flooding will impact many people and conditions will likely get worse before they improve in many areas,” Preckwinkle said in a release. “Dangerous conditions exist and it is important for residents to continue to be aware of their surroundings and exercise caution.”

The Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management activated its Incident Command Center will continue operating throughout the duration of the flooding, and residents should contact their local municipalities with any damage or flooding information or requests for assistance, she said.

Staff report
Quinn lauds efforts to fight flood    Permalink 7:23 p.m.

During a brief stop at Westchester’s Mayfair Park Thursday afternoon, Gov. Pat Quinn said he’d drawn inspiration from seeing residents pull together in fighting flood waters from torrential downpours Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Read more.

Ted Gregory
Sewage flows into Lake Michigan    Permalink 7:18 p.m.

Chicago Tribune environment reporter Michael Hawthorne explains why sewage and storm water are being allowed to flow from the Chicago River into Lake Michigan. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Floodwater-removal efforts in Northbrook, Ill.    Permalink 6:28 p.m.
Des Plaines area hit hard from rising river    Permalink 6:15 p.m.

The rising Des Plaines River causes havoc for residents in Des Plaines, Ill. on April 18, 2013. Friends and volunteers help them prepare for more rain.  (Chris Walker, Chicago Tribune)

Car in Grayslake pulled out of flood with ropes    Permalink 6:05 p.m.
Man rescues stranded driver during flood    Permalink 6:02 p.m.

Footage of a man rescuing a stranded driver on Shore Drive in Naperville during Thursday's flood. 

Flooded basements, streets in Chicago's Albany Park    Permalink 5:05 p.m.

Residents and officials at North Park University in Chicago's Albany Park neighborhood, near the Chicago River, contend with knee-deep water in their basements and streets. (Phil Velasquez, Chicago Tribune)

Gurnee, Ill. was inundated with heavy rains today    Permalink 5:02 p.m.
Libertyville resident describes flooding    Permalink 5 p.m.
Wilmette tennis building collapse blamed on rain    Permalink 4:56 p.m.

Damage at the Centennial Park and Recreation Center, 2300 Old Glenview Road in Wilmette. (John P. Huston / for the Tribune)

Wilmette Park District officials are blaming the heavy downpour for a buckled wall and bowed roof at its indoor tennis facility in Centennial Park. Read more.

John P. Huston
Residents arrive at shelter with pets and stories    Permalink 4:53 p.m.

Richie Moore carries a pet after getting off the rescue boat at 1500 Burlington Avenue in Lisle. Widespread flooding has inundated the area. (Antonio Perez, Chicago Tribune)

The Red Cross set up an emergency shelter at Benedictine University in Lisle, and by late afternoon busloads of people evacuated from flooded homes arrived carrying pets and exchanging stories about their day’s events.

“I’ve lived here since 1973 and I’ve never seen a flood like this before,” said Diane Lyons, who lives with her sister, Tracy in a Lisle neighborhood where rescuers removed residents on flooded streets by raft.

Lyons said it was raining very hard when she left for work at 5:45 a.m. She decided to return home two hours later to check on her sister, who has medical issues. But by the time she reached their neighborhood, the block was completely flooded and people were being rescued by boat, she said.

Thankfully, Tracy Lyons had already called for help and rescuers lifted her onto a raft and then carried her onto a bridge where she waited for a ride to the emergency shelter. While they waited, they wondered what they would do next. The sisters did not have flood insurance, or extended family to turn to.

“We don’t know what we will be left with,” Diane Lyons said. “We might just leave the place and start over.”

Aurora firefighters Marcos Coronado and Alan Backhaus were part of a small flotilla of rescue boats transporting residents from the flooded condos and apartments at The Towers of Four Lakes Village near Lisle.

As they loaded their small Zodiak inflatable boat back onto its trailer, Coronado said while there were a few who were reluctant to leave, "most of the people were just kind of accepting."

Joe Ruzich
Crews remove truck from sinkhole    Permalink 4:35 p.m.
Geyser erupts from flooding    Permalink 4:08 p.m.

Chicagoan explains how he came to capture a geyser on video. (Posted on April 18)

Creek lifts bridge in Glendale Heights    Permalink 3:59 p.m.

In Glendale Heights, a small creek at Reskin Park gushed with swift-moving water and lifted a walking bridge off its pylons, said Deputy Police Chief Tom Bialas.

As of 3 p.m., village officials estimated that 20 homes in the community had flood damage.

Bialas said they were thankful that Mother Nature seemed to take a break with rainfall Thursday afternoon. “The weather kind of broke and lightened up,”  Bialas said. “We were able to actually start catching up on the drains that were handling the water.”

Vikki Ortiz Healy
Westmont got 6 inches of rain, half of town has flood damage    Permalink 3:55 p.m.

A rain monitor at the Westmont Police Department recorded a total of 6.08 inches of rain from the storm.

The Fire Department was dispatched to two homes struck by lightning. Fire officials estimated that 50 percent of the homes and businesses in Westmont sustained flood damage, said Police Chief Tom Mulhearn.

“There’s areas that are inundated with water that have not been in the past,” Mulhearn said. “We are thankful that the rain stopped,” he added. “It has given us a chance to recover.”

Vikki Ortiz Healy
Skilling: A truly historic weather day    Permalink 3:53 p.m.

WGN Meteorologist Tom Skilling on Thursday's flooding in Illinois.

WGN-TV
Hundreds of flights canceled at O'Hare, Midway    Permalink 3:49 p.m.

The storms and flooding have caused hundreds of cancellations at O'Hare and Midway airports.

More than 600 flights were canceled today at O'Hare because of the weather, and delays were averaging 90 minutes or more, according to the Aviation Department.

More than 30 flights have been canceled at Midway, and delays were averaging 30 minutes or more.

Irving Park Road between Mannheim Road and York Road near O'Hare remains closed.

Passengers were advised to check their airlines’ website or call to confirm the status of their flight.

Chicago official: Storms not as bad as 2008, 2010    Permalink 3:43 p.m.

Commuters navigate through a flooded intersection on Addison Street and the off ramp from the inbound Kennedy Expressway near the CTA Blue Line in Chicago's Northwest Side Thursday morning. (José M. Osorio, Chicago Tribune)

Today's rain is not as severe as storms that brought flooding in 2008 and 2010 in Chicago, according to Gary Schenkel, executive director of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications.

"The one that we normally compare to is the flood that happened in 2008 and then again in 2010," Schenkel said. "By that standard, we are far below those levels that we experienced in those years."

The storm system brought 5 1/2 inches of rain to Chicago, according to the OEMC.

The city received reports of 96 traffic signals broken across the city and had repaired 62 of them by noon, Schenkel said.
Of 27 reported flooded viaducts in Chicago, all but nine were open as of 2 p.m., officials said.

Chicago Water Commissioner Thomas Powers said 1,200 people called the city to report flooded basements. The city will respond to each to check whether there is an obstruction or other problem preventing water from draining to the sewer from the house.

In many instances, however, Powers said basements flood simply because the sewer system is overwhelmed by the heavy rain. "In some cases there's just too much water for the sewer to hold," he said.

John Byrne
Crews shoring up river in    Permalink 3:39 p.m.

Tess Decremer walks through flood water from the front of her home to the rear in the 4900 block of North Bernard in the Albany Park neighborhood. (Phil Velasquez, Chicago Tribune)

City crews are trying to shore up the banks of the Chicago River to prevent further flooding on the Northwest Side.

"Our crews have been using sand bags and concrete jersey barriers on the banks of the Chicago River in Albany Park," said Chicago Water Commissioner Thomas Powers. "The river has come up over its banks this morning, and there have been flooded basements, flooded streets in the neighborhood."

The flooding in Albany Park would not have been prevented if the city had opened locks earlier to allow water to flow into Lake Michigan from the river, according to Gary Schenkel, executive director of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications.

"I seriously doubt it because we opened those locks when the water in Albany Park was still far below flood stage," he said.

John Byrne
Naperville hit with heavy rain, flooding    Permalink 3:36 p.m.

Naperville flood has employees of North Central College filling sandbags. (Posted on: April 18, 2013)

Receding flood waters reveal buried cars on Edens Expressway    Permalink 3:33 p.m.

The Edens Expressway was closed today due to major flooding at Pratt Avenue in Lincolnwood. It eventually started draining, revealing cars buried under the deep water. (Nancy Stone, Chicago Tribune)
 

What to expect for the evening rush hour    Permalink 3:23 p.m.

A Ford reveals itself as water starts to recede at Pratt Avenue and the Edens Expressway. The Edens Expressway was closed today  due to major flooding. (Nancy Stone, Chicago Tribune)

The worst of the rain appears to be over, but the National Weather Service is warning that the worst of the flooding has just begun. And the evening commute may not be easy either.

"The best advice is not to travel on the expressways," said Monique Bond, spokeswoman for the Illinois State Police. "It's a very fluid event."

All expressways are now open except the Bishop Ford between 95 Street and Sibley Avenue. This morning, there were closures on most interstates going into the city, and travel times stretched for hours.

Bond said the prospect of rain through the evening rush, however light, could change the situation.

Metra officials said they do not expect any significant delays for evening commuters are urging riders to keep an eye on its website for updates, said spokesman Tom Miller.

He said inbound and outbound trains traveling on the Burlington line to the western suburbs will experience minor delays because trains will be operating at reduced speeds because of weather-related problems, Miller said. Other routes may also have minor delays because of flooding.

Metra trains were hit with long delays this morning, with some trains stopped for hours. Miller said flooding near stations and tracks required trains to run at reduced speeds.

Also, a lighting strike hit a tower along Lake Street that controlled switches outside of the Oglivie station that routes Union Pacific trains to various platforms at the station. The incident happened at about 6:30 a.m., he said.

"That really posed major delays this morning of an hour or more to many of the trains," Miller said.

The forecast for the rest of the day is for occasional showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service. There is a 50 percent chance of showers overnight and a chance of showers on Friday. But the area has already been socked with more than 5 inches of rain, and the threat of flooding remains through the weekend.

Eric Lenning, a meteorologist with the weather service, said rivers in the area are not expected to crest for another 24 to 72 hours. "The water levels are going to get higher in a lot of places before they get lower."
 

Carlos Sadovi

Jackie and husband Hector Sanchez are rescued from their home in the 4700 block of Dumoulin Avenue in Lisle today. The family lost several cars and a motorcycle due to the flooding. (Antonio Perez, Chicago Tribune)

In Lisle, Mayor Joe Broda rushed out of the house at 6 a.m. Thursday to see roads blocked, power out and homes under water. “It’s the worst I’ve ever seen and I’ve been living here for 35 years,” Broda said. “It’s not a pretty sight.”

All the east-west roads in town were blocked by standing water. Fire and police crews used stretchers and wheelchairs to evacuate two nursing homes. And Four Lakes, a large residential community with a mix of condominiums, town homes and apartments, lost its power when a substation became submerged in water, Broda said. Thousands of residents were left in the dark.

Broda said he and village officials were monitoring weather reports closely and hoping for a reprieve in rain that might allow them to recover.

The American Red Cross set up an evacuation site at the Krasa Student Center at Benedictine University, 5700 College Rd.

Vikki Ortiz Healy

Debris fills the yard in front of the WM Recycle America's Lake County Material Processing Center in Grayslake.  According to shift supervisor, Salvador Fajardo, the building started flooding yesterday afternoon sending debris out on to the lawn and across into farm fields. (Stacey Wescott, Chicago Tribune)

Firefighters and paramedics evacuated more than 200 residents from the Oakridge Healthcare Center and neighboring Accera Apartments, which stand in a flood-prone area along Roosevelt Road east of Wolf Road in Hillside.

Ambulances and buses finished taking seniors from Oakridge to McAllister Nursing Home in Country Club Hills by about 1 p.m Thursday, Hillside Fire Department Lt. James Flynn said. About 100 Accera residents were taken to the Hillside Community Center for temporary shelter, Flynn added.

Ted Gregory
2:04 p.m.
2:01 p.m.
Top state official: 'Record flood stages are absolutely possible'    Permalink 1:59 p.m.

Students from North Park University stand on a footbridge, that splits the campus near West Carmen and North Spaulding avenues, and watch the rising waters of the North Branch of the Chicago River. (Phil Velasquez, Chicago Tribune) 

Jonathon Monken, director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, warned that the rising floodwaters are on a pace that could reach memorable water levels.

“The Mississippi River is already in the process of rising,” Monken said. “Based on the forecasting right now, we expect to meet and exceed flood levels — historic flood levels — that we’ve seen across Illinois, in excess in Chicago of what we saw in 1986 and 1987. The Mississippi we expect to be in excess in what we saw in 2008 — all of which were very significant floods. So record flood stages are absolutely possible."

Monken said the governor’s emergency declarationc — which is not to the level of a disaster declaration — gives the administration the chance to tap into state, federal and other external resources if necessary.

“The expectation is that flash flooding is absolutely a possibility in many areas throughout the state, which is undoubtedly the most dangerous form of flooding that people will experience,” Monken said. He encouraged people to stay home if possible.

Ray Long
Cook County activates command center    Permalink 1:48 p.m.

Bob Benson, left, and Anthony Gonka join friends and neighbors today sandbagging behind Gonka's home, background, as they try to prevent the Des Plaines River from flooding into Shagbark Lake. Gonka's home backs up to the lake. (Chris Walker, Chicago Tribune)

The Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is activating its incident command center to help coordinate flood-relief efforts.

The downtown Chicago incident command center will help coordinate emergency management activity among Cook suburbs, Chicago, bordering counties and the state. Supplies and personnel are dispatched from the suburban emergency response center.

With the help of the county Department of Transportation and Highways, sandbags were being sent to suburban areas along the Des Plaines River, the primary area of concern, said Michael Masters, executive director of the county emergency management department.

Water pumps and generators also were being dispatched to hard-hit areas, in many cases as a stopgap measure before local villages and cities could bring in their own resources, he added.

“A lot of those resources, particularly the sandbagging efforts, have been focused” in areas along the Des Plaines, where record or near-record levels of cresting could occur, Masters said.

“We are seeing a lot of activity with our partners in DesPlaines, Franklin Park, Stone Park, Maine Township, Riverside,” Masters said. “Most of them, if not all of them, have been heavily impacted.”

One family in Lisle had to be rescued by boat after being pulled from a window of their flooded home.

Another family managed to wade through waist-deep water to escape, but worry they had to leave behind their pets -- including a foul-mouthed parrot. Read more.

Joseph Ruzich

A family waits out the rain and floods near Ogden Avenue and Rt. 53 in Lisle today.  (Antonio Perez, Chicago Tribune)

Gov. Pat Quinn has declared a state of emergency, which sets in motion the state’s plan to share resources with towns impacted by flooding and lets the federal government know a disaster declaration is likely.

So far, state transportation officials are posting information on electronic highway message boards. About 30 state prisoners in downstate Pike County are filling sandbags. State police are helping with road closures and stranded motorists.

The Illinois National Guard is working with state emergency management officials in case troops are needed to help flooded towns. The Quinn administration also reported that the American Red Cross has opened shelters in Lisle.

The state’s flood information web site is Ready.Illinois.gov and its traffic site is GettingAroundIllinois.com/gai.htm.

Tips on what to do about that soggy basement    Permalink 1:32 p.m.

Bob Decremer, who built a wooden dam around his home to keep water out, watches the water surround his home in the 4900 block of North Bernard in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago. (Phil Velasquez, Chicago Tribune) 

Homeowners facing a basement full of water from today’s floods may be facing a soggy cleanup.

Here are some tips on what to do next from Tribune reporting, wire services, and the city of Evanston, which sent out a list of suggestions to residents today. Read more

A Mercedes reveals itself as water starts to recede at Pratt Avenue and the Edens Expressway. The Edens Expressway remains closed in both directions as crews removed debris and mud. (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune) 

As of 1 p.m., the Edens Expressway remained closed in both directions near Pratt Avenue as crews removed mud and debris left behind by high water this morning, according to Illinois State Police.

The westbound Eisenhower Expressway was closed after Wolf Road and traffic was being diverted to I-88.

The southbound Dan Ryan Expressway from 95th Street to 147th Street was shut down.

The northbound Bishop Ford Expressway was closed between Beaubien Woods and 130th Street.

Carlos Sadovi

Residents create sand bags at Riverview Drive and Hillside Road in Naperville.  (Melissa Jenco, Chicago Tribune)

Naperville is providing sand and bags for residents at Riverview Drive and Hillside Road.

Taylor Erdman, 32, of Chicago filled sand bags for a tenant in the Spring Hill subdivision in Naperville who has a flooded basement. “I’m just trying to stop the bleeding,” he said.

Thad Venchus had several inches of water in his basement in Naperville’s Brookdale subdivision after the nearby retention pond overflowed. He filled sand bags to bring back to stop additional water but said there hadn’t been major damage.

“We caught it early enough, we got stuff moved out of our way,” he said. 

Melissa Jenco

In Libertyville, Tom Barry unloaded sandbags from the back of his Jeep Cherokee as the rain continued to pour Thursday morning.

He carried them to the back of his house, where he stacked them on top of a 2-foot-tall stonewall that surrounds a patio that overlooks Lake Minear. At 10 a.m., the water’s edge had crept to within 40 feet of Barry’s house. A sump pump sat on the patio, ready to be turned on.

On the northeast side of the lake, water rushed over a berm that separates it from the Des Plaines River. Docks and retaining walls along the banks were submerged underneath the rising water.

“I’m surprised that it came up so fast,” said Barbara Barry, Tom’s wife. “But this is the third time this has happened. I think we’ve learned how to deal with it a little bit.”

Michael Holtz

Streets flooded at Lincoln Avenue and Rt. 53 in Lisle, during heavy morning rain. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

The Snow Valley Nursing Home on Highway 53 was evacuated because of the rising East Branch of the DuPage River, according to Lisle police.

Sandbagging was taking place near Burlington Avenue and River Drive in Lisle, and people were being evacuated from the area by boat. Several homes west of downtown Lisle were reported flooded. The area around the Morton Arboretum experienced heavy flooding and there were reports of electricity out in parts of the area.

Joe Ruzich, Joan Cary and Antonio Perez
For only 3rd time, Brookfield Zoo closed to public    Permalink 12:56 p.m.

Brookfield Zoo has closed for only the third time in its history.

“With the severity of this storm and flooding conditions, we feel it is the right decision to close the zoo,” said Stuart Strahl, president and CEO of the Chicago Zoological Society, which manages the zoo. “To ensure the safety of our animals and staff, the zoo will still have a crew on site that will provide basic core functions, including animal care.”

The zoo said it also will be closed Friday. The only other times the zoo closed was on February 2, 2011, due to a snow storm and September 14, 2008, when there was extensive damage from a weekend rainstorm, according to a release.

Three cars fell into a sinkhole on the Southeast Side of Chicago Thursday morning.

WGN-TV

The Cook County Forest Preserve District says many forest preserves are closed due to flooding and heavy rain. The preserves will be reopened as water recedes, officials said. Here’s a list of closed forest preserves:

Northwest Cook: Busse South (Groves 5-16), Busse North (1-3), Busse Central (4), Busse Reservoir (17-25).

North Cook: Dam 4 Woods, Chippewa Woods, Dam 1 East, Massasauga Family Picnic Area, Dam 1 West, Camp Ground Road Woods, Northwestern Woods, Thatcher Woods, Thatcher Glen, Irving Park Road Canoe Landing.
Central Cook: Miller Meadow South (north entrance).

Southwest Cook: Palos Woods, Columbia Woods, McClaughrey Springs.
South Cook: Calumet Woods, Dixmore Woods, Whistler Woods, Beaubien Woods, Thorn Creek, Glenwood North, Glenwood South, Sauk Groves 4-5, Shuberts, Back of Kings Grove.

Karen Flanagan, coordinator at the Elgin Office of Emergency Management, said residents in low-lying areas should be prepared for evacuation if water levels continue to rise.

Free sandbags are available at the public works facility, 1900 Holmes Road.

Updates are available at cityofelgin.org, on the city’s Facebook page and on Twitter.

Kate Thayer

In Morris, about 20 miles southwest of Joliet, flood waters have forced the town’s hospital to divert ambulances from its emergency room, cancel all elective testing and procedures and notify other regional hospitals of the possibility they will need to evacuate, a Morris Hospital spokeswoman said.

Earlier today, water was getting into the hospital’s lower level through a loading dock area, but a sandbag levy has since been built that is holding back the water, said spokeswoman Janet Long. The hospital remains open and has power, but is only accepting foot traffic into its ER, she said.

Steve Schmadeke

The more than 4 inches of rain that have fallen over the last 36 hours has caused major flooding at the Chain O’Lakes and along the Des Plaines and Fox rivers, according to Kent McKenzie, emergency management coordinator for Lake County.

He estimated that 500 to 1,000 homes at the Chain O’Lakes could be affected by the flooding.

“We’re expecting based on forecasts from the National Weather Service that we could approach or exceed major flood stages or even record flood stages at some locations,” McKenzie said at a press conference in Libertyville Thursday. “This is a very serious situation.”

McKenzie said the county’s public works department had sent nearly 200,000 sandbags to local municipalities and townships. He added that the county was trying to obtain additional sandbags from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.

“The rate with which the river is rising on the Des Plaines is very rapid,” McKenzie said. “We saw rises of nearly 3 feet since last night at the Des Plaines River gauge at Route 120.”

Michael Holtz

A car is stopped in high water under a viaduct on Peterson Avenue west of Pulaski Road in Chicago.  (Nancy Stone, Chicago Tribune)  

In Chicago’s 39th Ward, the Office of Emergency Management and Communications has set up a command post in Eugene Field Park.
 
Cars parked on streets by the Chicago River are being towed and relocated to the Salvation Army parking lot, 5040 N. Pulaski Rd., according to Ald. Margaret Laurino’s office. Crews are putting sandbags on streets next to the river.

In addition, portions of Foster Avenue have been closed near Pulaski Road.

A body was found floating in the Salt Creek River at Graue Mill in Hinsdale, authorities said.

Oak Brook Police Chief James Kruger said his department responded at 7:03 a.m. to the report of a male body floating in Salt Creek. "It was spotted by a passerby who was going to give aid to a family member (for flooding)," Kruger said.

The body was found near a foot bridge, on the east side of York Road, just north of Spring Road, he said. 

Authorities said they were working to identify the body.

Nick Ariano, from left, Rick Watson and Keith Andrzejewski head out to rescue the grandmother of Andrzejewski, near Ogden Avenue and Rt. 53 in Lisle as floodwaters continue to rise.   (Antonio Perez, Chicago Tribune)

Gov. Pat Quinn has activated the state’s emergency response system to help local officials dealing with flooding.

He is headed back from Springfield to assess suburban flood damage. He’s scheduled to be in Elmhurst at South York Road and East Madison Street at 1 p.m. today.

Antonio Maldonado tries to push his car through floodwaters at the Addison Street exit on the inbound Kennedy Expressway in Chicago.  Maldonado was on his way home from working the night shift.  (José Osorio, Chicago Tribune)

Jeff Goza had almost made it to work early Thursday morning when he took a gamble with his car – and lost.

He thought his 1997 Saturn could make it through the flooded roadway near Frederick Middle School in Grayslake, where he works as the head custodian. But water poured in and the car stalled.

“I couldn’t gauge how deep the water was. Halfway through I thought I might be in trouble and then the car died and I realized I was indeed in trouble,” said Goza, 43, who got stuck around 5:30 a.m. “I thought all I needed to do was go 50 feet, but I came up short.” Read more

Jodi S. Cohen and Lisa Black

Emergency personnel stand at the site of a sinkhole at Houston Avenue and 96th Street in Chicago. Three cars were swallowed by the hole when the street caved in Wednesday afternoon. (Zbigniew Bzdak, Chicago Tribune)

One person was hospitalized after a sinkhole swallowed three cars in the South Deering neighborhood on the Southeast Side this morning.

Witnesses said the hole opened up around 5 a.m. at 9600 South Houston Avenue, quickly growing from about 20 feet to about 40 feet. First two cars slid in, then a third as the hole widened, witnesses said. A fourth vehicle was towed from the edge as it was about to fall inside, witnesses said. Read more

A sinkhole swallows three cars on Chicago's Southeast Side, flooding causes a breach of the locks at the Wilmette Pump Station and waters rise on the Chicago River due to heavy rain and flooding in the Chicago-area. (Chicago Tribune photo)

The overnight deluge forced the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District to open locks and sluice gates separating the Chicago River system from Lake Michigan, allowing millions of gallons of raw and partially treated sewage to flow into the region’s source of drinking water.

It marked the first time since July 2011 that district engineers redirected rain-swollen waterways back into the lake. They started by opening a sluice gate on the North Shore Channel in Wilmette at 1:25 a.m., then opened locks near Navy Pier at 3:47 a.m. Read more

 

Michael Hawthorne

Rescue personal look for people to assist near Ogden Avenue and Route 53 in Lisle during a day of heavy flooding. (Antonio Perez, Chicago Tribune)

After wreaking havoc on the morning commute, closing schools and prompting scattered evacuations, the massive storm that dumped upwards of a half-foot of rain on parts of the Chicago area overnight is expected to continue throughout the day, with flooding the big concern.

High waters already led to intermittent closures of most major expressways, but now officials throughout the city and suburbs are eyeing rapidly rising river levels along with drainage problems that are stranding motorists and blocking thoroughfares.

Governor Pat Quinn has activated the State Incident Response Center in Springfield to speed up assistance to public safety officials in areas affected by the storm.

"I urge everyone to stay alert and avoid flooded areas," the governor said in a statement. "Residents should tune in to local TV and radio stations for updated information about any closed routes or evacuations."

The Des Plaines River is expected to reach record levels in Des Plaines and Riverside, according to the National Weather Service, which said the river is already over its banks in many areas.

An alert from River Forest said the Des Plaines River was rising at a “very fast pace” and that some roads in the village are closed from flooding.

The River Forest Public Works team has sandbagged a “strategic area along River Oaks Drive to help protect residential areas from flood waters,” according to the village, and will be out this morning to reinforce and add to this berm in an effort to keep flood waters away from residential areas.

The Chain O'Lakes and Fox River have flowed over their banks, blocking roads and causing flooding has begun in Fox Lake.

Emergency responders have had to evacuate residents from homes due to flooding along the Fox River in South Elgin this morning, officials said.

"We are seeing a number of houses along the river with significant flooding," said Don Bryant, director of the Kane County Office of Emergency Management.

The Fox River was at 12 feet deep below the dam in Algonquin, more than two feet above flood stage, with another foot of rising water expected through Friday, Bryant said. That would make the effects comparable to widespread flooding in 2007.

Some homeowners voluntarily left their homes, but no forced evacuations or home rescues have been required so far.
Officials in Lake County reported that More than 100 roads were impassable.

In Hillside, the Oak Ridge Nursing Home in the 500 Block of North Wolf Road was being evacuated because of flooding, according to Hillside Police Chief Joe Lukaszek. He said more than 100 people were being moved out of the nursing home.

Several apartment buildings were also being evacuated along the 500 block of North Wolf Road and the 600 block of North Wolf Roads, Lukaszek said.

No injuries have been reported, though major roads like Mannheim, Wolf and Roosevelt were all flooded. "Every roadway is pretty much impassable," he said. "We're kind of like an island right now."

Lombard Acting Village President Bill Ware declared the town a disaster area and advised residents not to travel because of the number of cars stalled in flooded streets.

Stretches of Roosevelt Road were flooded. Cars were stranded on exit ramps from York Road to Roosevelt Road and on Finley, Highland and Meyers roads.

Acting Elmhurst Mayor Scott Levin has also declared a state of emergency in the city. He cited flooding, severe sewage back-ups in homes, overwhelmed resources and emergency personnel staffing.

There were also more than 100 school closures throughout the Chicago area.

Commuters coming in from the suburbs felt the frustration of a longer morning commute due to various highway closures and delays due to the rain.

Tinley Park resident Tracy Gerber said her normal 45 minute commute up I-57 from the south suburb took twice as long today thanks to stop-and-go traffic and flooding.

"I tried to leave early today and I'm still late," said Gerber, rushing to her job at Northwestern from a Streeterville public parking garage. "I've now got to run to work."

Crestwood resident Tom Vicich said his commute wasn't pretty.

"Even getting to the expressway took way longer this morning -- maybe 25 minutes longer to the Dan Ryan," Vicich said.

As Metra saw delays that reached over 100 minutes in some cases, it's new multi-million-dollar Train Tracker system proved unreliable. The system had mythical trains running on time as commuters hunkered down beneath umbrellas with no indication of when the next train might come.

In Elmhurst, where public school classes were cancelled, the usually packed Metra station was sparsely populated with people waiting for erratically running Union Pacific West Line trains.

Due to switching problems, at least five trains were stacked up west of Ogilvie Transportation Center, where they waited their turn to pull in and drop off morning commuters, a conductor on one of the trains said.
 

Rex Huppke