• Editor’s Note: This article was updated at 10:41 a.m. Thursday, July 27, 2017. Check back for additional updates.

The rain that fell Wednesday night and early Thursday didn’t do much harm to the already-saturated soil and flooded Fox River.

And present forecasts indicate we might, at last, be past the worst.

According to National Weather Service Chicago, the Fox River at Algonquin Tailwater is down to 11.93 feet as of Thursday, July 27, 2017 after cresting at 13.11 feet on July 23. The flood warning has dropped from “major” to “moderate.” Food stage is 9.5 feet.

The village of Algonquin, hit hardest by the recent storms, is advising residents to be careful, but clean-up efforts are ready to begin.

“While the levels are dropping slowly, the village encourages those who have utilized sand bags or other preventative measures, to leave those measures in place until the waters have substantially receded,” the village of Algonquin said on its website. “Current National Weather Service predictions indicate these levels to remain in the moderate/minor flood range for at least the next week.

“Notifications of the process for the village’s sand bag recovery effort will be distributed later this week. This recovery effort will likely begin next week.”

The Fox River at Montgomery is at 13.51 as of 7:15 a.m. Thursday, after cresting at 14.22 feet on July 23. Flood stage there is 13 feet.

The NWS-C says the outlook is great for the next few days and into early next week.

“Friday and the weekend are looking beautiful, with sunny skies and temperatures at or below normal for late July and early August,” the Weather Service said on its “weather story” page. The forecast for Monday and Tuesday in mostly sunny and in the low 80s.

That said, the Fox River remains closed to recreational watercraft, and a Flood Warning remains in effect for the Fox River at Montgomery affecting Kane and Kendall counties at the Algonquin Tailwater affecting Kane and McHenry counties.

More Good News

As river levels begin to fall, the village of Algonquin is alerting residents that sand bag recovery efforts likely will begin next week.

“We thank everyone for their amazing effort in assisting the people of Algonquin during this challenging event,” village officials said.

Flood cleanup kits supplied by the American Red Cross are available for flood victims at the Algonquin Public Works Facility. Others may contact the American Red Cross at 847-220-7495 for flood cleanup kits.

A Multi Agency Resource Center, providing recovery assistance for people affected by flooding in McHenry County. The MARC will be open on Friday, July 28, and Saturday, July 29 (see flyer) at the McHenry Township Hall, 3703 N. Richmond Road, Johnsburg.

Recovery from flood damage may require demolition and/or construction. Algonquin residents may contact licensed removal contractors to provide construction and demolition. For a special waste collection or to rent a roll-off container, residents are able to contact Groot at 800-244-1977 or an alternative waste removal company.

Residents are responsible for costs associated with these services.

St. Charles: Illinois Street and Indiana Street Pedestrian Bridges to Reopen

Fox River levels have fallen and the forecast for the river is for levels to continue to drop as the week progresses. With potential rainfall forecasts being favorable, the city of St. Charles has reopened the Illinois Street Bridge and Indiana Street pedestrian bridge.

“We want to thank residents for their patience and cooperation with these safety measures during this historic flooding,” said City Administrator Mark Koenen. “While floodwaters are slowly receding, the river is still dangerous at this stage, and we remind residents to keep safety in mind when near the river by staying off of submerged paths and avoiding flooded areas.”

Reported Road Closures

• This information is updated from the Thursday situation report.

Dundee Township

• Winaki Trail from the bend to Onaway Trail
• Fox River Drive – Richardson Subdivision

West Dundee

• Lincoln Avenue between 3^rd Street and 6^th Street
• 1^st Street between Main and Lincoln Avenue
• East end of Edwards Avenue

Elgin

• Preston Avenue at Linden Avenue

Algonquin

• Beach Drive (east of Rattray Drive)
• Center Street
  
• Filip Street
• Fox River Drive
• Jayne Street
  
• La Fox River Drive (from Washington Street to Cornish Park)
• Willow Street

Damage Assessment

Damage assessment has begun in the affected areas and will continue throughout the week. For the affected municipalities, Damage Assessment and Disaster Impact Forms should be submitted as soon as possible.

July 19-23 Recap

• A classic weather pattern for redeveloping rounds of thunderstorms took hold across the Upper Midwest into the southern Great Lakes regions.  This pattern is often referred to as a “ring of fire” pattern. For more on the ingredients to this, see this graphic from a 2014 setup in our area.
• The main impacts were heavy rainfall of 3 inches to 7 inches over the few days causing flooding, at times very rapidly, as well as numerous cases of thunderstorm wind damage, some of which were significant.
• It had been a wet month for far northern Illinois. In the 30 day stretch of June 23-July 22, Rockford received 11.96 inches of rain. That was the wettest 30-day stretch for the city since 2007 (July 27-Aug. 25, 14.39 inches).

SOURCE: Kane County Office of Emergency Management, village of Algonquin website, National Weather Service Chicago