Severe downpour during the three total storms last week around the Lake County and McHenry areas. Flood and Tornado alerts warned citizens of potential hazards, with rainfall totaling 11.63 inches since Sunday last week. Dips in the road and terrain, filled with backwater, are obstructing residents’ route to school and work.
The Lake County’s Storm Management Commission has raised their flood warning to it’s highest level, as local rivers and lakes crest. River road in McHenry is shut down due to severe flooding.
“This is SMC’s highest stage and signals that Major Flooding is occurring in Lake County,” an SMC official said. “It is mostly contained to the Upper Fox River and Chain O’Lakes area as well as the Lower Fox River in the Barrington area, but is substantial in multiple areas.”
“Water on the roadway can create a variety of hazards for drivers,” Hans Varga, a public information officer with the McHenry Department of Transportation says.
“Even with just a light coating of water,” he adds, “the risk of hydroplaning becomes a serious concern. Hydroplaning occurs when there is a loss of traction between a vehicle’s tires and the road surface, which can quickly lead to a total loss of vehicle control.”
Limited rainfall over the course of the week means that rivers will slowly fall back to their normal rates, but not until Saturday, the National Weather Service says.
“Driving to school was pretty horrible,” Quetzaly Casillas, a Senior at McHenry high school says. “A big chunk of River Road is flooded in the middle… It made me late to school today, actually.”
According to Varga, proper protocol when coming into contact with an obstructive puddle is to turn around and find a different route, because it’s difficult to judge the depth of the water.
“With an inch or two of standing water,” Varga says, “hitting it at speed can cause sudden deceleration and aggressively pull the vehicle in one direction. It can also force water into mechanical parts that aren’t designed to handle it. As water collects further, you risk your vehicle being swept off the road entirely; it takes a surprisingly small amount of rushing water to push a car into off-road hazards.”
Next Tuesday, the Fox River is expected to crest before going back down. Until then, communities around the river have been placing sandbags and hoping for the best.