As floodwaters finally top out and begin slowly to recede along the Fox River and Chain O’ Lakes, McHenry County officials are asking people to document and report flood damage.
That includes damage from flooding through April 30, as well as any storm-related damage from April 17 and 18.
[ See more photos of flooding on the Fox River ]
County officials said reporting damage can directly affect how much assistance the county can get.
“State and federal agencies use damage data to determine eligibility for disaster assistance programs – the more complete the data, the stronger a case McHenry County can make for receiving federal and state recovery dollars to help affected people. Early and accurate reporting can shorten the time for assistance approval and helps prioritize resources and recovery efforts to the hardest-hit areas," according to a county news release.
County officials said the survey is not monitored in real time and is intended for nonemergency reporting. People with emergencies should call 911 and people with nonemergency needs related to storm or flood damage should call 211 or their municipal or township government.
Officials estimated it will take between 10 and 15 minutes to fill out the survey, which is available at bit.ly/4sSAVHE.
McHenry County officials also have created a map showing which roads in the county are closed because of the flooding. It can be found at bit.ly/mchenryroadclosed.
The National Weather Service said Thursday afternoon that river gauges along the Fox River Chain O’ Lakes “indicate that water levels have remained nearly steady for the past 24 hours and are likely at a crest in major flood stage. The latest forecast from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources indicates that water levels should begin to slowly fall by Friday.”
The weather service said Thursday morning the river below the Algonquin Dam is at 12 feet.
That means areas where structures could be threatened include along River Street, Johnson Street, Maiden Lane, Water Street, Edwards Avenue and Elgin Avenue in the East Dundee area; North Harrison Street near Riverside Park in Algonquin; Washington Street in Carpentersville; and Bayview Road and low-lying areas of Festival Park in Elgin, according to the weather service.
The river in those areas was expected to crest around 12.0 to 12.1 feet Thursday afternoon through Friday, the weather service said, adding it will “then begin a very slow fall but remain above flood stage through next week.” Flood stage is 9.5 feet, according to the weather service.
Along the Chain O’Lakes, areas expected to experience flooding include Nippersink Lake, Fox Lake, Pistakee Lake, Petite Lake, Lake Marie, Channel Lake and Lake Catherine.