Chicago Weather: Rain to end Tuesday; many areas still flooded
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (WLS) -- Flooding continued to cause problems Tuesday across Chicago and in the suburbs, after several consecutive days of rain. Many people are fed up with the weather.
The heavy rain cleared out of the Chicago area by late Tuesday morning, but the damage is done.
Several days of rain made Salt Creek swell above flood stage Tuesday, about 4-5 feet above normal, in west suburban Elmhurst.
The water was diverted into a massive quarry at the Elmhurst Flood Control Facility, which is the largest in DuPage County, to protect homes and businesses from flooding. The quarry can hold 2.7 billion gallons of water.
The facility is only opened a few times a year.
"Basically when we open the flood gates, we're diverting about half of the flow of Salt Creek," said Chairman Jim Zay, DuPage County Stormwater Management Committee.
DuPage County Storm Water Management said all 16 of its major flood control facilities were in operation Tuesday. Officials said the flood gates would be open for the rest of the day.
"It's not a 100-year event. It's a middle of the road event. I mean, luckily it was that we had a lot of rain, but it wasn't the downpours where you see where the systems get inundated and they can't handle it," Zay said.
Water from the DuPage River was also diverted Tuesday, but officials said it will take a few days to see the Naperville Riverwalk get back to normal. It was temporarily closed to keep guests safe while the water recedes.
"There's usually a walkway down there where you can walk right next to the river, and you can't even get there," said Lauren Giroux, who lives in Naperville.
"I'm a creature of habit, so I don't like anything to change the norms. This changes the norm, but it's nature. So what are you going to do?" said Patti Woodring, who also lives in Naperville.
Stormwater management officials said they finally started to see water levels begin to come down late Tuesday morning.
So far, there have been no reports of any major damage to homes or businesses.
A woman tested her luck down Royce Road southwest suburban Bolingbrook Monday, which has been partially under water. She had to be rescued after trying to drive her car through some deep water. Thankfully it wasn't in a river with a fast moving current. That becomes a different type of scenario.
The football field at St. Francis High School in west suburban Wheaton was submerged.
Flooding at Irving Park Cemetery on Chicago's Northwest Side caused concerns for neighbors. A stream flowed over grave markers just feet from nearby homes.
High temperatures will be around 50 degrees Tuesday before they begin to fall. A Frost Advisory will be in effect from 1-8 a.m. Wednesday for areas including Cook, DuPage, Kane, DeKalb counties in Illinois and southern Wisconsin.
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