Flood warning extended as rains fill streets, creeks spill over
By Bob Okon And Tony Graf bokon@stmedianetwork.com and tgraf@stmedianetwork.com June 9, 2011 9:49AM
Standing water can be seen over a curb as cars make their way east Thursday, June 9, 2011, off 127th St. in Plainfield. | Matthew Grotto~Sun-Times Media
Flood warning
In its flood warning, the National Weather Service includes the following precautionary and preparedness actions:
Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding.
If flash flooding is observed, act quickly. Do not enter the water. Turn around and move up to higher ground to escape flood waters. Do not stay in areas subject to flooding when water begins rising.
Most flood-related deaths occur in vehicles. Do not attempt to cross-water covered bridges, dips or low water crossings. Never try to cross a flowing stream, even a small one, on foot or in a vehicle.”
It is important to know where you are relative to streams, rivers or creeks which can become killers in heavy rains. Campers and hikers should avoid streams or creeks.
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Updated: September 29, 2011 12:52AM
A lightning strike caused a fire this morning in Plainfield, storms flooded local roads, and a large local workforce prepared sandbags to guard against flooding from more expected storms.
Joliet and Shorewood also reported complications after the overnight storms, including flooding on Joliet’s West Side.
A flood warning has been issued for urban areas and small streams in Will and Kendall counties until 5:30 p.m. Friday, the National Weather Service said.
Heavy rain, between 3 inches and 5 inches, fell over parts of northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana on Wednesday nightand this morning, according to the weather service office in Romeoville.
Further storms were expected, bringing an additional 1 inch to 2 inches overnight into Friday.
“This will cause continued rises on area creeks and streams as well as ditches that were already stressed from the earlier rainfall,” the weather service said.
Flood warnings also were issued for the Illinois River at Morris, until late Friday night; the DuPage River at Shorewood, until Friday evening; and the East Branch of the DuPage River at Bolingbrook, until Saturday afternoon.
“If you encounter a flooded roadway, turn around and find an alternate route,” the weather service said.
Plainfield storms
This morning, lightning struck the new Southern Belle’s restaurant at Van Dyke Road and Lockport Street in Plainfield, said Acting Chief John Konopek of the Plainfield police.
The lightning caused a fire on the roof, and the building had water and smoke damage, Konopek said.
The heavy rain led to street flooding throughout Plainfield and four road closures today: 127th Street west of Route 59, 135th Street east of Route 59, County Line Road south of Route 126, and Marybrook Drive.
The Marybrook subdivision, north of 143rd Street and west of Route 59, had the most immediate flooding threat for residential properties, Konopek said.
Although no residential evacuations were necessary today, Plainfield was preparing for further storms tonight and Friday.
More than 200 people — including 50 volunteers — formed Plainfield’s response team today, said Konopek, who had been working since 4 a.m.
Konopek credited Plainfield police, public works employees and other village staff, the Plainfield Fire Protection District and the Plainfield Emergency Management Agency, plus the volunteers called into action.
On Thursday afternoon, the 50 volunteers worked with village staff to make sandbags at the Plainfield public works building, 14400 S. Coil Plus Drive.
Overall, the work force made 1,000 sandbags to be used in Marybrook or wherever necessary.
Joliet and Shorewood
Some streets were flooded in Joliet and Shorewood, but the worst spots were drying up by late this morning.
Joliet City Manager Thomas Thanas said the primary trouble spots got the attention of city crews, but added that conditions had improved by late morning.
He said that Joliet experienced flooding on the far West Side, as well as usual trouble spots that included the intersection of Bronk and Clare roads and a section of Essington Road at Ingalls Avenue.
Sewage overflow out of a manhole at Bronk and Clare has been an ongoing problem and may have been at its worst this morning, said one resident in the neighborhood.
“The water is higher than ever,” said Sinnie Marshall, who lives on Clare. “I’m in the second house from the corner, and it (the water) is past the third house.”
The city of Joliet plans to start a multimillion-dollar storm sewage project this year that is expected to take care of the overflow problem at that spot.
Barton Hurley in the Westfield subdivision said his basement and yard had the usual flooding that he has gotting during heavy rains since he moved into the house on Edgerton Drive in 2001.
“I got 4 inches of water,” Hurley said. “It’s been a nightmare for years.”
In the village of Shorewood, there was high water on River Road coming off of a farm field. But that spot and others dried out by late morning, said Shorewood police Cmdr. Aaron Klima.
“Everything we had that was inundated with water is passable now,” Klima said.
Drivers were hit with flooded roadways as the rain poured down during the morning commute. Metra riders were also impacted by the rainy conditions as trains ran late on the Heritage Corridor Line, which runs through Joliet, and other Metra lines this morning.
As of 11 a.m. today, there were 63,753 customers without electricity, ComEd spokeswoman Arlana Johnson said. The bulk, 35,229 were in the south suburbs, while 14,321 were in Chicago, 4,785 were in the north and the west had 9,418 without power, Johnson said. The utility had more than 300 crews in the field trying to restore power.
There was one upside to the storm.
Today’s temperatures brought much-needed relief from this week’s near-record heat. The high reached just 63 degrees today. The low was to dip to 54, the weather service said.
Meteorologist Mike Bardou said the weekend should be sunny, with a high of 74 degrees Saturday and 70 degrees Sunday.
Plainfield volunteers
At midday today, Plainfield put out a phone call to residents, and 50 volunteers responded by showing up at the public works building. They made sandbags from 2 to 4 p.m.
Zachery Lawhead of Plainfield received the phone call at 1 p.m. and showed up to help. He carried sandbags, shoveled sand and finished off the afternoon tying the white plastic bags in preparation for use.
Lawhead has attended an eight-week disaster training program and Plainfield citizens police academy, he said.
Lawhead also helped unload and place sandbags during a flooding threat a few years ago in Plainfield.
He views his work as a way to be active and involved in the community.
“I’m hoping they call me again in the future,” Lawhead said.
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