Sheriff's Office Preparations For Forecasted River Levels

 NARRATIVE:The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department is monitoring river levels throughout the County and advising citizens to be prepared for potential flooding.  Recent heavy rains and predictions for continued rain over the next several days have caused rivers to rise significantly in the past few days. In preparation for any flooding issues, informational flyers are being distributed to residents in the potentially affected areas.  Barricades will be available in the event of road closures, and Emergency Notification System calls have been made to these affected residents. The response plan is being coordinated by the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department, along with Winnebago County; the Village of Machesney Park; and North Park, Harlem-Roscoe, Blackhawk, and New Milford Fire Departments. Sand and sandbags will be available at:

• Harlem-Roscoe Fire Station #1—10544 Main St., Roscoe, IL
• Schoonmaker Park—10500 Ventura Blvd., Machesney Park, IL
• Michalsen Office Furniture parking lot—8010 N. 2^nd St., Machesney Park, IL
• New Milford Fire Station—2177 Will James Rd., New Milford, IL

 Generally, at the 10 foot flood stage, water will affect backyards along the river and begins to fill in low lying areas near the river.  At 11.5 feet, water will surround low lying homes and cause some neighborhood roads to close.  Residents most likely to be affected include homes along:  Edgemere Terrace; Shore Drive; and Blackhawk Island. The Sheriff’s Office will continue to monitor the weather and river conditions for the next several days and make any adjustments to our response as needed for any changing conditions.  In addition, the Sheriff’s Emergency Operations Center (E.O.C.) will be staffed and personnel will be available for any issues 24 hours a day.  You may call 815-319-6215 with any concerns regarding flooding. Though the current weather conditions are not conducive to outdoor boating activities, Sheriff Meyers has implemented a “NO WAKE ZONE” for the entire Rock River in Winnebago County.  The presence of debris in the river creates hazardous conditions which are difficult to detect, and the increased water flow creates a much faster current than what has been experienced over the past few months with the lower water levels.  These conditions also increase the likelihood of problems for users of the river, which results in exposing first responders to dangerous conditions should a rescue situation develop.       

   Residents of the area are reminded that as the water rises, flooding may continue to occur in areas affected by the higher water levels.  Any additional rainfall will greatly impact the water levels, as the ground is saturated, and any significant amounts of rain over the next several days will add runoff to the water levels. Other rivers, creeks, and streams throughout the County will also be affected, but most of those areas do not threaten homes.  Motorists are also reminded that they should not drive through standing flood water.  If they encounter an obstruction due to the water, they should turn around and proceed in different direction rather than take a risk at driving forward. For current river conditions and any further updates contact the Sheriff's Office at (815) 319-6300, or the Rock River information telephone line at (815) 316-8888.  You may also visit the Sheriff's Department's website at http://www.winnebagosheriff.com.