Parts of McHenry County along the Fox River and Chain O’Lakes should see floodwaters begin to recede, but the process will be slow.
The National Weather Service said Friday afternoon that river gauges on the Chain “indicate that water levels are now beginning to slowly recede following a recent crest in major flood stage. The latest forecast from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources indicates that water levels should continue to slowly recede into next week.”
The weather service said water levels are expected to remain above flood stage through at least the middle of next week, assuming there’s no additional rain.
However, there is a threat of severe weather on Monday.
On the Chain, Nippersink Lake, Fox Lake, Pistakee Lake, Petite Lake, Lake Marie, Channel Lake and Lake Catherine will experience flooding, the weather service said.
Farther downstream, the river was at 12 feet Friday below Algonquin Dam and “expected to remain nearly steady around its crest of 12.0 feet” Friday.
The weather service said the river is likely to stay above flood stage through at least next week.
McHenry County officials launched a flood resource page on Friday, mchenrycountyil.gov/county-government/flood-headquarters, which provides information on everything from why people should respect barricades and road closures down to what to do with sandbags.
The slow drop in water levels means that some road closures could continue, and authorities have repeatedly stressed the problem of people disregarding road-closed signs and driving around barriers. Officials say that not only can it damage cars, but it also can cause wake that can be a problem for nearby property owners trying to keep their homes and buildings dry.
The page also has a link to a damage survey officials have asked people with storm or flooding damage to fill out, as well as information on how to contact 211, which can connect residents to agencies providing services including shelter and basic needs, disaster recovery and health and mental health services.
The McHenry County Department of Health said Friday that people should wear personal protective clothing and equipment when sorting debris from flooding. Not everything that has been damaged by floodwaters can be disposed of in regular trash, the department said.
Some items absorb contaminated flood water and should be thrown out. That includes carpets, rugs and padding, mattresses and upholstered furniture, drywall, insulation and ceiling tiles, unsealed wood, particleboard and pressed wood.
“If it can’t be cleaned & disinfected, throw it out!” the health department wrote on Facebook.
Clothing and washable fabrics, hard plastics, glass and metal and sealed or finished surfaces may be salvaged if properly cleaned and disinfected, the department wrote.
To clean hard surfaces, the department recommended removing dirt, mud and debris, washing thoroughly with warm, soapy water and disinfecting using a bleach solution or approved disinfectant.
Floodwaters can contaminate food and food containers, and people should discard food items that have come in contact with floodwater, including fresh meat, poultry, dairy, eggs, fruits and vegetables, prepared or packaged foods and bottled items with caps, corks, pop-tops or screw tops.
Cans that are swollen, leaking, punctured, severely dented or rusted should be thrown out. The health department said for cans that can be salvaged, people should remove labels, brush or wipe away dirt and silt, thoroughly wash cans with soap and water and immerse the cans in a solution of one tablespoon of unscented liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water for 15 minutes. Then air-dry the cans, relabel them with a product name and expiration date with a marking pen, and use the canned foods as soon as you can.