McHenry County Blog

The following comment from Rawson Bridge Road homeowner Norell Kern appeared under a recent Fox River flooding article.  I thought the volunteers from Nunda Township might appreciate it.

Sandbags around a Fox Riverfront Rawson Bridge Road home.

Yes, that is Rawson Bridge Rd down the street from the Broken Oar.

My husband and I own the house right there at 701 Rawson Bridge Road.

We are so grateful for all the volunteers and for Nunda Township for all the help with sandbagging.

We came within a few inches of the water entering our house, we are so lucky it did not come in and it only filled up our yard with 2-4 feet of water.

The Fox River flowed into this yard, but not into the home.

We are anxiously awaiting the river to recede so we can start clean up and mold control.

Thank you soooooo much and God bless the volunteers in our community!

We couldn’t have saved our house without you!

These homes on South Harrison Street in Algonquin presumably will not need major repairs.

The following emergency meeting notice has been issued by the McHenry County Board:

The McHENRY COUNTY BOARD Chairwoman, Tina R. Hill, has scheduled a Special Emergency McHenry County Board meeting for Friday, April 26, 2013 at 8:30 a.m. to discuss consideration to waive building permit fees for those addressing building issues as a result of the flood and to conduct regular business as necessary and appropriate.

An email from Nunda Township Trustee Mike Shorten:

Urgent… Volunteers still needed

Good Morning,

Despite reports relayed in the media that the Fox River had crested yesterday, the Nunda Road District Employees have seen otherwise and the water has risen overnight and continues to rise.

Volunteers are still needed to assemble sand bags as orders have continued to come in from affected residents.

With sandbags in place and a pump running, this Nunda Township man tries to protect his home from the record Fox River flood. His home is located in Bayview Beach Subdivision in Prairie Grove, just east of Prairie Isle Golf Course.

Operations will continue today at the Nunda Township Highway Department located at 3518 Bay Rd in Crystal Lake and will likely run into the evening. We have been overwhelmed with support from Nunda Residents and people from neighboring communities.

Again, even if you have an hour or two and regardless of your physical ability every person that shows up is a huge help.

The Fox River at the McHenry Dam is now 7.44 feet above flood stage. That’s as of 8:15 AM.

The gauge at the McHenry Dam on the Fox River indicates residents are experiencing a record flood.

The record flood level is 7.2 feet, according to the National Weather Service.

Flooding at Bald Knob Road in Johnsburg near Pistakee Bay Sunday evening.

Late Sunday only tree tops are visible on Half Moon Island near the mouth of the Fox River.

A Johnsburg water tower can be seen in this picture of flooding from late April 21, 2013.

Another Johnsburg water tower appears in this photo of the Pistakee Bay flooding of River Terrace on Sunday evening.

Meanwhile, the water level at the Algonquin Dam continues to increase.

The gauge reads 3.9 feet on Monday, April 22, 2013, at the Algonquin Dam. The record is 4.5 feet.

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Photos were taken by Carolyn Harrison.

If you have photos of the flooding, please email them to calskinnr2@gmail.com.

Yesterday Nunda Township Supervisor-Elect Lee Jennings sent out another robo-call seeking volunteers.

Can anyone identify where this flooded Nunda Township Road is located?

[Jennings identified this as Rawson Bridge Road near the Broken Oar.  When he emailed me, he said the water was higher on Monday morning.]

People are needed for both heavy lifting and tying up the bags of sand.

On Sunday, April 21, the Fox River was still rising as of 1:15 PM at the McHenry Dam.  The water is at 7.36 feet, above the record of 7.2 feet.

Here is Jenning’s plea for help:

Lee Jenings

Where the Bay Road Nunda Township Office complex is located.

“Even though the rain has stopped, the Fox River continues to rise.

“Nunda Township still needs able bodied volunteers to help operate a sandbagging program to assist our residents affected by the flooding.

“We will not stop until the river crests and the flooding begins to subside.

“Please join us this weekend from 8:00 am until 9:00 pm Saturday and Sunday at the Nunda Township Highway Department located at 3518 Bay Rd. in Crystal Lake.

“Even a few hours of your time will help tremendously.

“If you are in need of sandbags or for more information, please contact the Nunda Highway Dept at 815-459-4410.

“Thank you.”

Here’s the situation at 3:15 PM at the gauge at the McHenry Lock and Dam:

Four feet above flood level at the McHenry Dam, the level designated as a “major” flood.

Meanwhile, Downstream at the Algonquin Dam, the “major” flood level has not quite been reached:

What the gauge reports at the Algonquin Dam.

You can see what the Fox River looks like flowing over the Algonquin Dam below:

Can you figure out where the Algonquin Dam is under the Fox River.

You can see the northeast corner of Port Edward’s restaurant above.

Another message from Nunda Township Trustee Mike Shorten:

“The sandbagging operation continues today as the river is not expected to crest until sometime tonight or early tomorrow morning.

“We need people to fill, tie and stack sandbags today.  I’m attaching a picture of part of yesterdays late night crew; every single person regardless of age or physical ability was a huge help.

Sandbaggers at the Nunda Township Garage on Friday night.

“If you have even an hour, come on out. The more people the have the faster we can produce the bags. With a full crew at each machine, I’d guess that we can make 25 sandbags a minute.

“The address is 3518 Bay Road in Crystal Lake and operations are under way right now!”

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The Fox River continues to rise.

Below you see the gauge shows the water just below four feet above flood stage at the Algonquin Dam:

The Fox River flooding situation Saturday morning.

Here’s what the gauge says:

The gauge at the Algonquin Dam shows the rapid rise of the flood waters.

A second message has come from Nunda Township Trustee Mike Shorten:

“Thanks for the response yesterday.

This is one of the bagging operations at the Nunda Township Road District Facility. They have a machine that helps fill the bags, which is operated by volunteers and road district employees. Once the bags are filled they are sealed and then stacked on to pallets which are transported to homeowners affected by flooding.

“Between efforts Wednesday and yesterday over 16,000 sand bags have been created, but the need is still great as the Fox River in not expected to crest until sometime on Saturday.

People needed not only the fill the sandbags, but also to tie them.

“If you have time

• this afternoon/evening or
• any time on Saturday,

they need willing and able volunteers to help with the process of making bags and loading them on to pallets for delivery to residents and any amount of time that you can donate will make a huge difference in the efforts.

Once the sandbags are filled and tied, they are put on pallets.

“We need people that can lift but also need those who can just help tie the bags closed one they are filled.

The pallets are loaded onto trucks. Note that the sandbagging machine has four shoots.

“IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO HELP, please forward this message to your friends/family/neighbors that live in the area and that will be help enough.

GOP Primary opponents Road Commissioner Don Kopsell and winner Mike Lesperance have a common enemy now–the rising Fox River.

“No need to call just go to the highway department offices at 3518 Bay Rd. in Crystal Lake, IL. Mike Lesperance, who will be sworn in as the new Highway Commissioner on May 20th is managing the efforts.”

The second photo is one that I took from the street in front of a house where I delivered a pump. The picture is of the front door of the house and where you see water reflecting the light is where the driveway would be. The owner had to bring out a canoe to transport the pump to his house because it is surrounded by water and the house is protected only by the sandbags at this point.

And the Fox River is continuing the rise, as you can see from the U.S. Corps of Engineers Algonquin Dam data below:

The gauge at the Algonquin Dam on the Fox River shows the river at over three and one-half foot above flood stage fifteen minutes before 4 PM on Friday, April 19, 2013.

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Photos were sent by Mike Shorten and Cindy Lesperance.

Here’s the text of Township Supervisor-Elect Lee Jennings robo-call yesterday:

Lee Jennings

“This is Lee Jennings, your newly elected Nunda Township Supervisor.

“Nunda Township is currently operating a sandbagging program to help our residents affected by the recent flooding.

“This program will be in operation 24 hours a day until the river crests and the flooding begins to subside.

“We are in desperate need of able bodied volunteers to help fill sandbags as well as load and unload trucks with sandbags.

“We would also appreciate donations of food, coffee, water and soda for the volunteers.

“This is taking place at the Nunda Township Highway Department located at 3518 Bay Rd. in Crystal Lake.

“For more information, please contact the Nunda Highway Dept at 815-459-4410 or call me at 847-606-6660.”

Jennings wrote last night,

“An estimate of number of sandbags so far is over 16,000.

“We were able to stop sandbagging around 9:30 this evening with a handful of us still assisting residents until about 11:00.

“Originally, we expected to work 24×7 but fortunately are able to get some rest due to the amazing response and help we received from the public.

“This process will be repeated again starting at 7:00 tomorrow morning and going into the evening (or all night if it starts raining again).

“I am so proud of our Township Road Crew, both our existing and newly elected Highway Commissioners and the wonderful volunteers that turned out to help.”

Sandbags available in Fox River Grove

Due to the recent amount of rainfall experienced in the Village over the last 48 hours, various locations throughout town are flooding. The Village has sand and bags available to residents if needed. These bags are not prepacked with sand but both bags and sand are available to residents free of charge.

They can be picked up at either the water tower located at Algonquin Road and Grove Avenue or at the park at Lincoln Avenue and North River Road.

Chief Lukasik

Don’t flush your toilets in old Lakewood

I got a phone call saying that there might be sewer backups in the part of Lakewood served by the Crystal Lake Sewage Treatment Plant.

After talking with a village employee, I’m assuming that infiltration into the sanitary sewer pipes is occuring.

That strikes me as strange because we had them lined with plastic pipes.

Here is what is on the Village web site:

HEAVY RAIN UPDATE: 04/18/13

Note that the less water used in your home, the greater capacity there is in the sewer system to decrease the possibility for raw sewage to back up into your home.

Please minimize water use to the greatest extent possible!

Call Village Hall at 815/459-3025 if you have any questions.   Thank you for your cooperation.

Nunda Township Seeks Sandbaggers

From Township Trustee Mike Shorten:

Good Afternoon,

I’m sending this message out to a multitude of contact lists so if you are out of the area or receive this message multiple times, I do apologize.

With all of the recent rain the Fox River had gone up over 2-1/2 and as a result many homes are at risk of flooding.

Nunda Township’s Highway department is helping by filling sandbags at the Township Offices for delivery to residents who’s homes are at risk. Because of the urgency of the situation the Highway Department is working around the clock and they are looking for willing and able volunteers who can help.

If you are available even for an hour or two to come out and help with the effort, volunteers will be welcome at the Highway Commissioner’s office located at 3518 Bay Road in Crystal Lake.

Thank you for your consideration and I hope to see you out there tonight!

4 PM Road Conditions

Closures:

• Kemman Rd. North of Vander Karr Rd. (Roadway washed out)
• Maxon Rd. between Oak Grove Rd. and Graf Rd. Chemung
• Riverside Road at Brentwood, McHenry
• Jankowski Rd between Billingsgate and Raycraft Rd, Greenwood Township
• Coon Creek Rd, entire Road closed, Marengo
• Carls Road, between Hartman Road, Grossen Road, Marengo
• Grange Road, west of Blissdale Rd to County Line Rd, Marengo
• Burma Road, between Grange Road to the 6100 block, Marengo
• Jackson Road, west of Burma Rd to County Line Rd, Marengo

High Standing Water:

• Algonquin Rd between IL RT 31 and Pyott Rd. Algonquin
• Route 20 at County Line Rd, Marengo
• River Rd. between Route 23 and Squire Rd., Marengo
• Route 23 at Olbrich Rd., Marengo
• Route 23 at Collins Road, Marengo
• Oak Grove Rd. between Route 173 and Wright Rd., Harvard
• Route 47 at Hercules Rd., Woodstock
• Sunnyside Rd at Perkins Rd, Woodstock
• Route 31 at Ringwood Rd., Ringwood
• Route 12 at Wilmot Rd., Spring Grove
• Wright Rd, Prairie Grove
• Route 176 at Buhl Rd., Prairie Grove
• Riverdale Rd and Dee Dr., Island Lake
• State Line Rd, between Lilja Rd and Weidner Rd
• County Line Road at Rt 173, Harvard
• Fleming Road between Bull Valley Road & Country Club Rd, Woodstock
• Ramer Road at Oak Grove Road, Harvard
• River Road between McHenry Dam Road and Fernview Road, McHenry
• Kishwaukee Valley Road at Noe Road, Marengo
• Rt 176 west of Terra Cotta Road
• Queen Anne Road between Rt 120 and Bull Valley Road
• College at Uteg, Crystal Lake
• Mary at Union, Crystal Lake
• Northshore at East, Crystal Lake