Residents in Nunda Township along the Fox River began sandbagging Wednesday night, with volunteers and crews working to fill 2,500 to 3,000 bags an hour, Highway Commissioner Rob Parrish said.

The river is expected to crest next week at more than a foot higher than levels recorded as of Wednesday evening, according to the National Weather Service.

The weather service a flood warning until further notice for the Fox River, stretching from Johnsburg to Red Gate Road in St. Charles, including at the Algonquin Lock & Dam, affecting McHenry, Lake and Kane counties.

Some minor flooding has already occurred along the river, with moderate flooding forecast.

The maximum river stage along that stretch of the Fox was 10 feet – above the flood stage of 9.5 feet – and was expected to rise to 11.3 feet by Tuesday evening, according to the weather service.

If that crest rises to 11.5 feet, areas that could be affected include Oceola Drive, Jayne Street and Beach Drive in Algonquin; McBridge Street and Jerusha Avenue in Elgin; and River Street in East Dundee.

“A Flood Warning means water levels above flood stage are imminent or may already be occurring. Persons along rivers and streams in the warned area should take immediate precautions to protect life and property,” the weather service alert states.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources said inflow is forecast to continue climbing through Sunday, with levels of the Fox Lake and Upper Fox River peaking Wednesday. Between 1.75 and 2 inches of rain were forecast for the watershed over the next seven days, the IDNR said Thursday.

In Nunda Township, Parrish’s staff began working late Wednesday to help protect homes along the river.

“Nunda [Township] has three sandbaggers running and four trucks delivering sandbags,” Parrish said, adding crews from Bull Valley, Prairie Grove, Island Lake, Lakemoor, Dorr Township and inmates from McCounty County Jail are helping.

The river is high across the Fox Valley region after heavy rains the last few days and with more expected.

“Everything is headed to the Fox River,” Parrish said.

McHenry County Emergency Management Director David Christensen agreed. Current water levels upstream, at New Munster, Wis., has him worried because what happens there “magnifies here,” Christensen said.

Parrish said he’s getting the most calls for service from low-lying areas like the Bayview Beach subdivision and Whippoorwill Drive near Prairie Grove.

“They have been placing sandbags all night with pumps running” to direct water back into the river," Parrish said.

He is expecting the flood levels to be similar to those seen during the 2013 and 2017 floods, Christensen said.

In just the last 30 days, the area has seen 8.5 inches of rainfall, with the potential for more precipitation.

“It will get worse before it gets better,” Christensen said.

Not all areas are reporting flooding yet. McHenry’s Director of Public Works Russ Adams said there is “some standing water in the typical low-lying areas and the creeks are up, but nothing is being overwhelmed.”

McHenry continues to monitor the situation, Adams said.

Among the volunteers at Nunda Township were high school students who live nearby and are helping fill sandbags. The township could use more, Parrish said.

Anyone in the township who needs sandbags or who can volunteer to help fill sandbags should call the Nunda Township Highway Department, 3518 Bay Road in Crystal Lake, at 815-459-4410.

Johnsburg plans to have sandbags and sand available for residents on Friday morning, Assistant Administrator Vinny Lamontagna said.

The materials will be dropped on the 600 block of Bald Knob Road, an area that is prone to flooding, Lamontagna said. He did not have a time for the sand delivery yet, and asked residents to keep an eye out for the village’s e-blast email.

The sandbags will not be filled, he said, adding that those in need of bags should bring shovels and help to fill the bags.

Village staff will continue to monitor the situation, and will switch to emergency response flood conditions worsen, Lamontagna said.