The Ford-Iroquois Public Health Department (FIPHD) played the lead role in the grant application process. FIPHD’s Community Health Planner/Grant writer Jule Clark said several agencies providing help during the 2008 floods found themselves eligible for reimbursement.

The City of Watseka is receiving $139,500 to recoup expenses from the flood detail. The Watseka Fire Department will get $19,800 and the Watseka Police Department $14,187. The Village of Woodland is getting just under $2500 with tanother $2600 pending. Woodland Fire is getting $9100. Just under $34,000 is headed to the Village of Milford; Milford Fire is eligible for $1256 dollars. Other notable amounts awarded include: $51,509 to the Iroquois County Highway Department, $50,131 to Iroquois Mental Health Center, $18,710 to IMH, $25,255 to FIPHD, $60,936 to the East Central IL Community Action Agency, Iroquois County Planning & Zoning has been awarded $22,000 for services rendered; several churches were also reimbursed, including $4800 to the Trinity Church of Watseka, which was the main emergency shelter during the flood.

The FIPHD will continue to field questions and gather input for further reimbursement. The IDAP grant continues thru September 30, 2010.

courtesy WWW.IQESDA.COM

Take the survey by clicking the following link…

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=NyKpeSdmtuJF8WMXNUxmGg_3d_3d

Iroquois County continues to proactively pursue hazard mitigation activities. The County is actively coordinating with several agencies to develop a Countywide Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan.

The Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan will serve to identify and assess areas at risk to flooding, tornados, drought, earthquakes and other severe storms including ice and snow. This effort is administered by the County’s Emergency Services Department and is steered by a representative committee consisting of local and state emergency managers, first responders, planning officials and other public and private business management professionals. These stakeholders will help assess local vulnerability to natural hazards while prioritizing alternatives and future projects for mitigating these risks. The public will have multiple opportunities to contribute to this effort thus making the plan that much better.

The plan will cover the entire County and incorporated jurisdictions. The County will assess all natural hazards identified in the State’s Hazard Mitigation Plan in addition to transportation corridor analysis to be performed along major interstates and railroads. Historically, flooding has proven to be of major concern throughout the County and particularly, within the City of Watseka. The Iroquois River and Sugar Creek are very flood prone and regularly produce flood damage, most recently the source of Iroquois County’s flood disaster declaration. The plan’s intent is to assess flooding and other sources of hazards in relationship to the County’s assets, critical infrastructure and population. The result will enable each community to better identify its relative risk and identify the mitigation activities that will ultimately reduce exposure to this risk.

This multi-hazard mitigation plan is a major step toward recognizing and reducing risk throughout the County. It is also a requirement to qualify for federal hazard mitigation funding. These funds may be used to help pay for projects intended to reduce local exposure to loss of life or damage of property. Examples of projects that qualify for federal funding include structure acquisition, flood proofing and more.

A brief survey has been developed to collect information from the community. By completeing this survey you will be providing vital information and a local perspective about the county. These data will help tailor the plan to meet the specific needs of the county.

Take the survey by clicking the following link…

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=NyKpeSdmtuJF8WMXNUxmGg_3d_3d

For Additional Information Please Contact:
Carl Gerdovich, Plan Coordinator
cgesda [at] co [dot] iroquois [dot] il [dot] us (815) 432-6997

Ameren, NiCor Utility Urge Safety, Call for Disconnects

Received a call from AMEREN-CIPS and NICOR asking all area citizens to make sure to call the appropriate utility company — if there’s a need to dis-connect their electric or gas meter.

Ameren and NiCor are more than happy to accommodate customers. Ameren spokesperson Leigh Morris says people, sometimes, make the mistake of calling a local electrician when the need arises. But Ameren insists THEIR workers should perform the electrical dis-connect and will gladly return to re-connect when necessary. Likewise, NiCor Customer Service Rep Bernie Anderson says call NiCor for gas service disconnects……………

AMEREN’s CUSTOMER SERVICE # 888-789-2477

NICOR’s CUSTOMER SERVICE # 888-642-6748

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cg courtesy of IQESDA.COM

The Flood Warning continues for
the Iroquois river at Iroquois.
* Until Wednesday afternoon…or until the warning is cancelled.
* At 945 am Friday the stage was 24.1 feet.
* Moderate flooding is occurring and moderate flooding is forecast.
* Flood stage is 18.0 feet.
* Forecast…the river will fall below flood stage by Wednesday
morning.

The Flood Warning continues for
the Kankakee River at Momence.
* Until Tuesday morning…or until the warning is cancelled.
* At 945 am Friday the stage was 5.9 feet.
* Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast.
* Flood stage is 5.0 feet.
* Forecast…the river will continue to fall to below flood stage by
early Tuesday morning.

The Flood Warning continues for
the Kankakee River at Shelby.
* Until further notice…or until the warning is cancelled.
* At 945 am Friday the stage was 12.7 feet.
* Major flooding is occurring and moderate flooding is forecast.
* Flood stage is 9.0 feet.
* Forecast…the river will fall to a stage of 12.0 feet
by Saturday morning.
* Impact…at 12.5 feet…water flows over part of US 41.

###

cg IQESDA.COM

…Flash Flood Watch remains in effect through Sunday evening…

The Flash Flood Watch continues for

* portions of Illinois and Indiana…including the following
areas…in Illinois…Boone…Cook…De Kalb…dupage…Ford…
Grundy…Iroquois…Kane…Kankakee…Kendall…La Salle…
lake IL…Lee…Livingston…McHenry…Ogle…will and
Winnebago. In Indiana...Benton…Jasper…Lake in…Newton and
Porter.

* Through Sunday evening

* showers and thunderstorms will continue to diminish in coverage
through early afternoon but additional showers and thunderstorms
are expected to develop by late afternoon. Periods of showers
and thunderstorms will continue tonight through Sunday. Rain
totals of 1 to 3 inches with locally higher amounts are possible
by Sunday evening. This heavy rainfall is expected to lead to
areas of flooding along with rises on rivers.

A Flash Flood Watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation.

You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should flash flood warnings be issued.

Detailed Conditions and Forecast Information:
http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=60911&from_email=1

cg 3-7-09 Iroquois County ESDA

5.29? Rainfall at the WGFA studios since Friday morning.  There is a flood warning for N IL and NW IN inclduing the entire WGFA listening area is under a Flood Warning until at least 10am Monday. The river is rising and WGFA will continue watching. Iroquois river expected to crest 3 feet below the flood stage of 18 feet.

Here is a link to the Iroquois River at various measuring locations.. the link here is for Iroquois IL and The next one further upstream would be at Foresman, IN, about three miles east of Brook.   The measurements are recorded every 15 minutes. The National Weather Service updates the website with those 15 minute readings about every four hours. Click here: http://tinyurl.com/hydrologic for more details.

Jerry Rosalius reports exactly 5? of rain over the weekend near the geographic center of Iroquois County 3.75 miles South of Crescent City.  Other reports include 5.5? in Gilman, 4? in Sheldon, 5.3? in Beaverville, 5.1? in Clifton, 5.3? in Gilman, 5.5? in Cissna Park, 5? in Crescent City, 4.7? in Earl park, 4.1? in Wellington, and 9.4? reported 4 Miles South of Kankakee by Charles Cooper

Manteno Schools Closed – Poor Road Conditions

Momence High School Closed -

Peotone Schools Closed – 10.4? rainfall in Peotone

Milford High School has no electricity – SCHOOL IS IN SESSION AT ALL MILFORD SCHOOLS

Milford Viaduct is back open as of 3:43 this morning according to IDOT

No power in the town of Woodland as of 5am Monday – SCHOOL IS IN SESSION AT ALL WATSEKA UNIT 9 SCHOOLS INCLUDING WOODLAND

Cissna Park Peacemeals WAS cancelled… It is now going to be held

Route 49 in Cissna Park is open as of 8:25am Monday morning.  IDOT officials say there is some water over the roadway and signs are in place but it is passable.  Cissna Park had over 6? rainfall reported

Northern Newton County Thayer area 1200 North closed between SR55 400 E and 550 East in Northern Newton County Closed from SR14 to Division Rd.

Cissna Park Fire Department assisted about 6 families on Sunday night in a neighborhood that generally deals with Flash Flooding.

10th St and Porter Avenue in Watseka still closed.  Other areas barricaded Saturday have been re-opened.  Legion Parkarea had water rise from 9:30-6 approximately 3 feet.  Things seem to have leveled off.

In Cissna Park Pigeon Creek spilled out of it’s banks at 5pm yesterday afternoon.  Rick Beyer reports that things are getting back to normal after the Cissna Park Fire Department  evacuated several homes.  One WGFA listener said it appeared to be worse in Cissna Park than the flooding in January.

The Chicago area suffered through another day of relentless showers Sunday, causing widespread flooding, clogging streets and prompting some evacuations. Cook County Board President Todd Stroger declared a countywide state of emergency in the wake of flooding wrought by the weekend’s torrential rains. The declaration clears the way for requests for state financial assistance for flooding clean up.

The weather proved fatal, when an elderly Chesterton, Indiana man and his adult son died Sunday morning while trying to rescue a 10-year old boy who had been sucked into a culvert in a flooded drainage ditch. Killed were John Thanos, 74, and his son Mark, 48.

The city of Des Plaines declared a state of local emergency at 1:20 p.m. Sunday because of flash flooding. In a written statement, Des Plaines Mayor Tony Arredia said a shelter has been established in the Prairie Lakes Community Center, 515 E. Thacker St. The city recommended the evacuation of the following areas:

– The area bounded by River Road, Touhy Avenue, Maple Street and Oakton Street.
– Campbell Avenue at River Road.
– The Methodist Campground.
– Everything east of River Road, Golf Road, or I-294 to Busse Highway

In the Village of Rosemont, about 20 people living in basement apartments on River Road and Higgins Road were evacuated by the fire department. The village is putting them up at the Best Western Motel in Rosemont while their apartments dry out.

Meantime, emergency management officials in the village of Lansing, near the Indiana border, urged residents living near two waterways to leave their homes and seek shelter. At about 3 p.m. Sunday, officials said heavy rains mean the Little Calumet River and Thorn Creek were expected to crest within 2 to 24 hours, putting nearby residents at risk. Lansing has opened a temporary shelter at The Eisenhower Center, 2550 178th Street, Lansing.

Several Chicago area rivers, including the Des Plaines, Fox, Kankakee and Little Calumet Rivers were at or above flood stage on Sunday, threatening homes, businesses and schools. A small army of volunteers in Des Plaines, just northwest of Chicago, were fighting a pitched battle Sunday against the rising Des Plaines River. “We’re preparing for the worst but hoping for the best,” said city spokesman Will Soderberg.

In Naperville, workers sandbagged some buildings downtown as the DuPage River overflowed its banks. Water levels rose Sunday morning after gates of Fawell Dam were opened to help prevent flooding upstream, the city of Naperville’s Web site said.

There was also sandbagging in Chicago’s Albany Park neighborhood, where crews placed about 30,000 sandbags along the rain-swollen Chicago River, which remained two feet above normal Sunday morning, said John Spatz, commissioner of the city’s Water Management Department. Nearly 350 Albany Park homes were affected and at least 40 residents in the North Side community were evacuated by boat.

Saturday’s rainfall of 6.64 inches at O’Hare International Airport set a new record for a single calendar day. The previous record was 6.49 inches, recorded on Aug. 14, 1987. Climate records for Chicago date from 1871.

While significant flooding in Chicago seemed limited to a few neighborhoods, officials said Sunday they would ask the governor to issue a disaster declaration for the city, a move that would make additional funds available to deal with flood-related costs.

Flooding also affected area roads and highways. The Bishop Ford Expressway – a major link between Northwest Indiana and Chicago – was closed Sunday at 130th Street because of flooding.

O’Hare International Airport was operating with minimal delays Sunday, one day after numerous flight cancellations were blamed on the weather.

Get the latest news at the 10 to the hour every our on Illiana’s Local News Choice, WGFA

Areal Flood Warning Statement as of 10:50 AM CDT on September 15, 2008

The National Weather Service in Chicago has issued a

* Flood Warning for urban areas and small streams in… Livingston… northern Ford… Iroquois… DeKalb… La Salle… Lee… eastern Ogle… Cook… dupage… Grundy… Kane… Kankakee… Kendall… southeastern Lake County in northeast Illinois… will… northern Benton… Jasper… Lake County in Northwest Indiana… Newton… and Porter counties…

* until 845 PM CDT Monday/945 PM EDT Monday/…

* at 1042 am CDT/1142 am EDT/…areal flooding continued across much of northern Illinois and Northwest Indiana. Many roads remain closed…especially near small streams…creeks…and other low lying areas.

No significant rainfall is expected and flood waters should recede today. However…due to the scope and magnitude of the rain event over the weekend…runoff will continue into this evening.

This replaces the areal Flood Warning issued earlier for much of northern Illinois and Northwest Indiana.

A Flood Warning means that flooding is imminent or has been reported.

Flood Warning and River Levels as of 10am Monday