Flooding Hits North Suburbs: Des Plaines and Fox Rivers Overflow, Affecting Homes and Roads

In Illinois, communities were on edge Sunday as rising river levels heightened flooding fears. Some areas were forecasted to reach a major flood stage from Sunday night into the early hours of Monday.

While conditions remained dry on Sunday night, residents faced a bitter chill with Freeze Warnings and Frost Advisories issued throughout the Chicago region. Overnight temperatures were expected to plummet into the 20s in several locations.

Local residents prepared for the rivers to crest as they dealt with the ongoing effects of flooding that had persisted for several days. The situation was exacerbated by severe weather, with the National Weather Service confirming at least eight tornadoes touched down in northern Illinois during Friday night’s storms.

In Lake County, officials reported that water levels in the Fox and Des Plaines rivers remained elevated. However, a forecast of dry weather in the upcoming week offered some hope for relief to those affected by the high waters.

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Lake County, Illinois officials say water levels remain high in the Fox and Des Plaines rivers. Dry weather expected this week should give impacted neighbors some relief.

Floodwaters still flowed Sunday night, with homeowners working to move it out and away from their homes The Lake County Stormwater Management Commission says the Des Plaines River could climb before it crests.

“We’ve watched it come up to the barricades here a couple of days ago, and then it went back and now it’s coming back again and they say it’s going to rise even more because of the rains up north, up in Wisconsin,” Lincolnshire resident Sandy Didewig said.

Didewig’s Lincolnshire home is feet away from rising flood waters.

Officials say the Des Plaines River could reach major flood status and is expected to peak Monday.

A roadway leading into River Shire Park has been closed to cars and pedestrians, for now, but neighbors found other ways to get around.

Water levels on Londonderry Lane reached as high as a foot and a half.

“The top of the fire hydrant over there was pretty much submerged all the way to the top of the fire hydrant. So I saw some carp swimming around,” Lincolnshire resident Chris Nielsen said.

In Antioch, flood waters created more dangerous conditions after firefighters were called out to rescue a couple trapped in their home Saturday.

And in Algonquin, where the Fox River is possibly days away from peaking, rising waters levels have creeped onto a homeowner’s yard, which was now surrounded by sandbags.

With the Fox River expected to reach historic flood levels, leaders in Nunda Township are looking for volunteers to help make sandbags. That will take place starting at 7 a.m. Monday at the Nunda Township Road District building.

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