Major Flood Hits Plainfield — But Worst Is Over, Officials Say

A flood warning remains in effect until 7:30 a.m. Saturday, but officials said the river had crested.

Updated at 11:28 a.m.: Route 59 is OPEN, according to Plainfield Deputy Fire Chief Jon Stratton. Original story: Village officials and the Illinois Department of Transportation were monitoring flooding at the Route 59 viaduct Friday morning — and were just as eager as residents to reopen the roadway, Plainfield Deputy Fire Chief Jon Stratton said. Around 1 a.m. Friday, flooding prompted officials to shut down the road from Lockport Street to 143rd Street. “It kind of separates our town,” Stratton said. “It splits our town in half, plus the congestion — it’s crazy. [Plainfield Police Chief John Konopek] wants to open that as soon as possible.” Stratton said officials are keeping an eye on the road and will open it as soon as it's safe. …

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Gov. Quinn Declares State of Emergency

Gov. Quinn has declared a state of emergency in the wake of flooding throughout the Chicago area.

Governor Pat Quinn declared a state of emergency as state agencies prepared to provide assistance to local governments throughout northern Illinois dealing with severe river and flash flooding. The state of emergency ensures that state resources are activated and that the federal government is aware that a disaster declaration is likely. It also allows the state to request resources as needed, such as personnel and equipment. State and local emergency personnel have been on the ground in hardest hit areas since early this morning. "Heavy rainfall over the past few days has created dangerous flooding in areas across the state," Governor Quinn stated in a press release. "Everyone should stay home and off the roads if possible. To ensure …

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County Will Use Grant to Buy Out Flood-Plagued Homeowners

$5 million federal grant will be used to purchase about 40 homes.

For years, homeowners along the DuPage River have struggled with flooding that has filled their yards and homes with water, leaving some houses uninhabitable and, in many cases, impossible to rebuild. Now, a $5 million federal IKE Grant, named for the 2008 hurricane, will allow Will County buy out homes in the floodplain. Last month, the Will County Board voted to accept the grant, funded through the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. County board member John Argoudelis said the county has been working to obtain the grant funding for several years. “We’re just pleased that this was able to get done for a lot of our residents in need,” said Argoudelis, who also serves as Plainfield Township supervisor. “Nobody locally would …

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Volunteers Sought for May 12 River Sweep

The event, held for the last 21 years, helps clean up debris and litter from the DuPage River and is followed by a barbecue for all participants.

Volunteers are being sought for the 21st annual DuPage River Sweep, in which local people help remove debris and litter from the river in order to improve water quality, reduce flood risk and enhance safety for people and animals. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon May 12**, followed by a barbecue for all participants. Volunteers can be individuals, families, groups and organizations, such as scouting troops. The event's name is derived from the concept of “sweep our rivers clean” and is organized locally by Conservation Plainfield, which is a collaborative effort of the village of Plainfield, Plainfield Park District, Plainfield Library District, Plainfield School District 202, Plainfield Township and Plainfield-area residents and…

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About Town

Thanks to a Dry July, Storms Cause No Problems

Yes, water filled some people's yards -- especially those along the DuPage River -- but didn't get into most homes.

While record-setting rains this weekend left thousands in the northern suburbs bailing out their basements, riverbank-dwellers in Plainfield stayed mostly dry. “It actually worked the way it supposed to. The flood plain flooded,” said Karen Rebuehr, one of the founding members of the DuPage River Storm Water-Concerned Group. “Some of us had two or three feet of water in our yards Sunday morning, but water didn’t reach our homes,” she said.  Rebuehr lives on Weller Drive north of Plainfield off Plainfield-Naperville Road between Plainfield and 135th Street. The lack of rain in July left conditions right for sopping up a big rain, she said. “It was dry,” Rebuehr said. “We needed the rain. It came at a good time.” From Friday through Sunday, …

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Round Two of Storms Friday Could Cause More Flooding, Street Closures

Volunteers filled sandbags in anticipation of what could be another 1.5 inches of rain Friday, potentially flooding homes along the DuPage and other tributaries.

UPDATE/8:40 A.M. FRIDAY: The overnight rain was not sufficient to cause any property flooding or street closures in Plainfield, but a meteorologist with the National Weather Service says we're not out of the woods yet. After 1 p.m. today and more likely later this afternoon, "conditions will be more favorable for showers and thunderstorms to develop once again," meteorologist David Beachler said. The problem, he said, is that "it's not always widespread," so while some areas may be hit hard others will be spared. With the ground already saturated, any area that does get heavy rain will have problems, particularly municipalities such as Plainfield, which has streets that are prone to flooding and a river running through it, he said. For …

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DuPage Flooding Could Be Resolved with Dredging, Activists Say

The DuPage River Storm Water-Concerned Group is launching a campaign to raise money and awareness of the downstream flooding problems.

Don’t be surprised to find DuPage River clean-up activists knocking on your door this spring. The DuPage River Storm Water-Concerned Group is writing mission statements, setting talking points and designing leaflets as they gear up for door-to-door canvassing. They are looking for cash flow to fund a massive river clean-up and dredging effort. The group is made up of people who live in Plainfield’s older downstream neighborhoods who want to stop upstream subdivisions from building flood walls along the river, which they maintain have the potential to cause flooding on their property.  They speak out against losing watershed acres to new housing and business development.  But they’ve narrowed their focus. The group is launching a new public…

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National Weather Service: Snow Could Mix With Rain to Cause Floods

Freezing drizzle is expected to turn to snow Monday afternoon.

Rain and freezing drizzle could turn into snow Monday afternoon and overnight, according to the National Weather Service. A winter weather advisory is in effect until noon Tuesday, warning of conditions that could lead to flooding as runoff from melting snow and rain potentially cause ice jams in area rivers, including the east branch of the DuPage River in Bolingbrook. In a multimedia briefing issued Monday morning, Kevin Burke of the National Weather Service in Chicago said the forecast calls for “light to moderate snow” Monday night. Meteorologist Amy Seeley of the National Weather Service in Romeoville said Will County residents can expect rain mixed with snow this afternoon, turning into snow overnight. The Romeoville/Joliet area …

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