With Rain On The Way, Kankakee Residents Keeping Close Eye On Rising River
KANKAKEE, Ill. (CBS) -- Flooding fears are rising along the Kankakee River, where the wet forecast is on everyone's mind.
CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reports sandbags surround each entrance of the Kankakee Valley Boat Club, a proactive move in light of what members were dealing with there on Tuesday.
Boat club member Al LaFine says water was coming up through some of the drains.
The rising water of the Kankakee River leaves garbage cans nearly submerged, and boat docks -- once in storage -- floated nearly a block away from their original location. The same could be said for some boats, as tie-downs securing them became loose.
Area rugs, drying on a wooden fence, tell part of the story of what happened inside the boat club.
"The water was all throughout our carpet and all through here," said boat club member Dennis Elston. "The sewage, the storm sewer, backed up of course, so water had no place to go but back up in through here."
He says they host parties at the club almost every weekend.
"Because of the water we're not able to host them this weekend so we're gonna lose a little bit of money over that."
Kankakee homeowner Andy Hauptman says he's doing whatever it takes, to protect his lawn equipment by bringing it into his living room.
"We had so much rain, we had four and a half feet and all the motors were covered."
Many of those with riverfront homes along Cobb Boulevard had flooded basements. Five inches of rain fell overnight and more is expected this evening.
"There is no question that if we get two inches of rain, in this area, we will all be flooded again," said Hauptman.
At Amy Fenton's house, the clean-up continues, with the help of a restoration company. With more rain in the forecast, Fenton says she is, "getting a little nervous, but, what are you going to do? It's what we have to deal with."
Since June 1, they have received a total of 15 inches of rainfall.
Fourth of July fireworks are watched along the Kankakee River every year, and a city official says whether or not the festivities take place this year is going to depend on if the river recedes.
