PHOTOS, VIDEO: Fox River On The Rise​; More Flooding Expected

ALGONQUIN, IL - Days after heavy rains hit the area, leaving many communities still underwater, towns along the Fox River, Chain O' Lakes and Des Plaines River are expected to get slammed again by flooding this weekend. Potentially record-breaking river levels could add insult to injury for many towns along the waterway. As of Friday morning, the Des Plaines River was expected to crest by Saturday for many northern Illinois towns while the Fox River in McHenry County could be on the rise through early next week.

A flood warning remains in effect for the Des Plaines River near Gurnee, Lincolnshire, Des Plaines, River Forest and Riverside as well as for the Fox River at the Algonquin Tailwater and in Montgomery.

As of Friday morning, the Fox River in Algonquin was nearly two feet above flood stage. The river's level is expected to rise by two more feet by Tuesday afternoon.

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In downtown Algonquin Friday morning, river waters had spilled over into Cornish Park, which was closed, and the stream through the park was overflowing. Fish could be seen hopping from the brimming waters as fishermen took advantage of the well-stocked stream.

The hardest hit areas in McHenry County as of Friday morning was the village of Algonquin and Nunda Township, the Lake County-New Sun reports. The portion of Nunda Township along the Fox River stretches from Port Barrington north to McHenry. Public works crews in Algonquin have been working to fill and distribute sandbags, which were in high demand in recent days as home and business owners worked to secure their properties.

In addition, the village of Algonquin is looking for volunteers to assist. Anyone looking to help can stop by the Algonquin Public Works Facility, 110 Meyer Drive, to check-in during the following time frames: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 15; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 16. More updates on flooding in Algonquin, and resources available through the village, can be found on the village's website.

In Fox River Grove, docks and pier were underwater at the Dead End Bar & Grill, 98 Northwest Highway, and at the Fox 14 Marina next door as of 8:30 a.m. Friday. Down the road, residents living on North River Road were working to pile up sandbags as the river began to spill into yards. Floodwaters also crept up into a neighborhood parks along North River Road.

Even further up the river in Johnsburg and McHenry, it was much of the same. Docks and piers were underwater and riverside parks were flooded.

The Fox Waterway Agency has shut down the Chain O' Lakes, which flows south into the Fox River, and the Fox River, from the Chain O' Lakes south to the Algonquin Tailwater, to all recreational boating. The Department of Natural Resources is allowing boaters to operate a vessel at idle speeds to the nearest ramp to pull their boat out.

The river is expected to be closed for at least a week, the Fox Waterway Agency told the Lake County News-Sun. The agency has been fielding hundreds of call regarding docks, tree, patio furniture and unattended boats that have been spotted floating down the rising river. In addition, two boats became stuck under the Route 12 bridge in Fox Lake Friday.

Boats were out patrolling on Friday and pulling large objects, including plants and "football field-sized floating islands of cattails," from the river, according to the Lake County News-Sun.

Further south along the river, towns in Kane County were also prepping for major flood stage levels. The norther portion of the county is expected to be the hardest hit. County Board Chair Chris Lauzen has issued a disaster declaration in preparation of the near-record flood levels.

"The disaster declaration will serve to activate the county’s emergency operations plans along with helping residents to qualify for federal disaster assistance should the county qualify for such aid," according to a news release from Lauzen's office.

Towns on the Fox River in Kane County can check first with their municipality for sandbags. Sandbags will also be made available at the Kane County Highway garage at 41W011 Burlington Road in Campton Hills.

• Lake, McHenry Co. Flooding Updates: Resort and Theater Evacuated, Road Collapses, River Towns Prep
  

Meanwhile, politicians were in Lake County on Friday, touring damaged areas that were first hit hard by rain, with over seven inches falling in some areas, and now getting socked again as the Des Plaines River reaches well over flood stage.

Gov. Bruce Rauner held a press conference in Gurnee, a town slammed by flooding this past week. Rauner urged residents to be cautious and vigilant as floodwaters continued to rise.

"There have already been sinkholes, cracks, collapses of drainage areas and these types of dangers have not gone away," he said. "And as well, I want folks to know we may be calling for evacuations in certain neighborhoods and in certain communities as floodwaters continue to rise."

He said about 6,800 buildings had been affected by floods, none of which had been devastated, as of Friday morning. He added that no one has died and no one was been injured.

"We have been very fortunate," he said.

Rauner said he is working with officials in Lake and Cook counties in providing assistance following the flooding. So far, 100,000 sandbags have been delivered.

Hours after visiting Gurnee, he declared Lake, Kane and McHenry counties all disaster areas, according to the Lake County News-Sun.

The Lake County News-Sun reports:

Rauner on Friday also directed Illinois Emergency Management Agency Director James Joseph to activate the State Emergency Operations Center as needed to coordinate any requests for assistance from flood-impacted communities.

The governor said the proclamation will ensure the state continues to provide whatever assistance is needed now and in the coming days as the affected counties begin recovery efforts.

State Sen. Melinda Bush, D-Grayslake, and Rep. Sam Yingling, were also in the area on Friday as they got a firsthand look at storm damage at W.J. Murphy School, 220 Greenwood Drive in Round Lake Park. They were hoping to find ways the state could better assist local schools damaged by flooding.

In Lake County, the Lake Forest Hospital and College of Lake County were forced to close this past week due to flooding woes, emergency personnel have been working around the clock with evacuations and rescues from flooded homes and streets, and unlikely sights, such as large fish flopping in roadways and residents taking their kayaks for rides down their flooded neighborhood streets, have been cropping up in towns hardest hit by floods.

And not surprisingly, local resources have been taxed. In Grayslake, the fire protection district, which typically responds to 11 calls per day, received 79 calls for service in the 21 hours following heavy rains on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Lake Co. Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor signed a proclamation late Wednesday declaring that severe flooding has created a disaster for Lake Co. Lawlor said Friday that most of the county's major waterways were expected to reach major flood status soon.

• State Of Emergency Declared Over Lake County Flooding

As many Lake Co. communities work to clean-up, the Des Plaines River continues to rise and towns along the river are expected to experience further flooding. A flood warning remains in effect for the Des Plaines River near Gurnee, Lincolnshire, Des Plaines, River Forest and Riverside.

The Des Plaines River near Russell was nearly five feet above flood stage and expected to crest at 12.2 feet Friday afternoon before beginning to fall.

In Lincolnshire, where flooding has closed down the Marriott Theatre and Resort, the Des Plaines River was at 16.1 feet, well above the river's flood stage of 12.5 feet. The river is expected to rise to 17 feet by Saturday before slowly beginning to fall to flood stage by Wednesday evening, according to National Weather Service predictions.

• Lincolnshire Marriott Theatre, Resort Evacuated; Performances Cancelled

Photo caption: Flooded docks and pier at the Dead End Bar & Grill in Fox River Grove.