Fox River Flooding Worsens In McHenry County As Residents Prep For Rising Waters

Flooding continues to worsen along the Fox River and Chain 'O Lakes in McHenry County, where water levels have reached major flood stage in some areas and a flood warning remains in effect until further notice.

River gauges Tuesday evening showed water levels still rising slowly, according to the National Weather Service, though the rate of increase has slowed compared to earlier in the week. Channel Lake exceeded major flood stage Monday, while Fox Lake and Nippersink Lake reached major flood stage Tuesday.

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Meanwhile, floodwaters inundated backyards along the Fox River and caused closures to roadways and parks as well. The flooding is also impacting roads, yards and parks along the Chain 'O Lakes, including areas near Fox Lake, Pistakee Lake, Petite Lake, Lake Marie, Channel Lake and Lake Catherine.

In Nunda Township, more than 60,000 sandbags have been filled since last Wednesday as residents work to wall off the floodwaters, according to the Chicago Tribune. Boats and docks in the Bayview Beach subdivision — an area where homes are located along a narrow channel off the river — have flooded over.

Residents have been working hard to stack thousands of sandbags along the road, an effort that has now been called "The Great Wall Of Bayview," Jason Bell, a 27-year resident of Nunda Township, told the Chicago Tribune.

Officials say water levels are nearing their expected crest but will likely remain above flood stage through at least the middle of next week on the Chain O' Lakes, assuming no additional rainfall occurs.

The flooding could be comparable to historic events in May 1973, April 1979 and October 1986 when water levels reached similar heights on the Chain O' Lakes, according to the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service also warned that the Fox River near Algonquin is expected to rise into major flood stage, threatening low-lying areas and structures near River Street and Johnson Street in East Dundee, Riverside Park in Algonquin, Washington Street in Carpentersville and Festival Park in Elgin.

Drivers are urged to avoid flooded roadways.

“Turn around, don’t drown,” the weather service warned, noting most flood deaths occur in vehicles.

Several Lake and McHenry County roadways have closed due to flooding, including:

• River Road from McHenry Dam Road to West Fernview Lane is now closed due to flooding, according to the McHenry County Sheriff's Office.
• Rawson Bridge Road from the Broken Oar to Tuxedo Lane in Cary has been closed until further notice due to flooding, according to a post on the McHenry County Facebook page. The roadway is also closed west of Roberts Road in Lake County due to water on the pavement, according to Lake County PASSAGE.
• Grand Avenue east of Rollins Road in Fox Lake has been closed due to water on pavement, according to Lake County officials.
• Route 59 from Route 22 to Scott Rd in North Barrington is closed due to water on pavement, according to Lake County PASSAGE.
• Rising water levels are beginning to "encroach on River Road near Moraine Hills State Park," officials with the McHenry County Division of Transportation said Monday afternoon.
  "Drive slowly and only continue if you are certain you can safely navigate the conditions," officials said. "MCDOT is continuously evaluating the situation and is prepared to close this section of River Road if conditions become unsafe."
• Cornish Park in Algonquin is closed due to rising water levels along the riverbank, and residents are asked to avoid all areas immediately adjacent to the Fox River in Algonquin as a safety precaution, village officials said.