DuPage River Floods Naperville Riverwalk Causing Temporary Closure
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Officials in west suburban Naperville are keeping a close eye on the west branch of the DuPage River.
The river began to rise Saturday night, and by mid-afternoon Tuesday the patio of at least one restaurant on Jackson Avenue was under a few inches of water. Entrances to the Riverwalk were cordoned off; it's all under several feet of water, although not enough to lap at the bottoms of bridges, as Deputy Fire Chief Andy Dina said it did two years ago. WBBM's Bob Roberts reports.
The current is swift – and Dina said even experienced canoeists or kayakers should stay away. He said bushes, trees, rocks and boulders that are normally above the water line are submerged, and he said what little clearance remains between the river and bridges is not enough for a boat or even a kayak to squeeze through.
Dina said, if there is no additional heavy rain, the river could crest in the next day or two and be back to normal this weekend. Until then, he is urging caution but does not believe evacuations will be necessary.
Naperville Fire Department divers and a swift water rescue team are on standby. In 2015, they made seven rescues.
