County Board Chairman

District 20 Representative

Lake County under flood watch through Friday Morning, July 29^th

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a flood watch for Lake and surrounding Illinois counties through Friday morning, July 29^th. Parts of Lake County have been impacted by flash flooding caused by intense thunderstorm rainfall over the past several days, leading to localized flooding of roads, streets, yards, and in some cases, the basements or lower levels of homes. Heavy rains have filled many stormwater basins and road ditches, leaving limited capacity for additional rainfall. The Lake County Stormwater Management Commission has instituted a Green Flood Alert, meaning that current and forecast conditions may lead to flooding.

The current weather situation includes a large area of very moist air over northern Illinois, and additional warm humid air feeding into the area. Storms are expected to develop to our west later today, and then move east. The convective nature of thunderstorms often produces very intense rainfall over a relatively localized area, and within a given storm there is often a wide variation in measured rainfall amounts from point to point. Because of the high moisture content of the atmosphere, storms that develop later today will be capable of producing rainfall rates of one to three inches of rain per hour, which could easily lead to localized flash flooding.

Flash flooding is one of the leading causes of weather-related injuries and deaths in the United States, with most deaths caused by people driving into flooded roads. We join the National Weather Service in reminding anyone that drives upon a flooded road or street to "turn around, don't drown," since water can hide damage to the underlying road surface and only six inches of flowing water can sweep a car or truck off the road. Additional information about the "turn around, don't drown" campaign can be found in the NWS brochure available at http://www.weather.gov/os/water/tadd/images/NSC_FinalVersion1-4.pdf.
 

The Lake County Division of Transportation provides the most complete listing of road information through the Lake County Passage traffic management center, available at 1620 on AM radios, or at the website www.LakeCountyPassage.com.

The Stormwater Management Commission encourages community officials and homeowners to make sure that storm drain grates, drainage ditches, culverts, and swales are not blocked by debris from the recent windstorms. Branches, limbs, leaves, and wood chips can wash downstream and lodge against bridges or culverts, causing water to back up very quickly in areas where flooding may not typically occur.

If you're experiencing flooding, please report the situation to the Stormwater Management Commission at 847-377-7700. Residents or businesses that need assistance should first contact their local municipality or township.

The text of the NWS flood watch provides some additional information:

AFTER A LULL IN THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY LATE THIS MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON... STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP LATE THIS AFTERNOON OVER EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWEST ILLINOIS. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL THEN SLIDE EAST ALONG A NEARLY STATIONARY FRONTAL BOUNDARY THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR FEEDING INTO THESE STORMS FROM THE SOUTH WILL LIKELY RESULT IN EXCESSIVE RAINFALL. THIS COULD RESULT IN RAINFALL RATES FROM 1 TO 3 INCHES PER HOUR IN THE HEAVIER STORMS. THE WATCH AREA HAS ALREADY EXPERIENCED VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IN RECENT DAYS AND ANY ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN COULD LEAD TO RAPID FLOODING. AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 88 AND INTERSTATE 290 APPEAR TO HAVE THE GREATEST THREAT FOR RECEIVING THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL. AREAS  TO THE SOUTH OF THESE HIGHWAYS DOWN TO THE INTERSTATE 80 CORRIDOR DO HAVE SOME RISK FOR HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLASH FLOODING AS WELL.

We encourage all Lake County residents to pay attention to the evolving weather situation and exercise caution when driving during or after heavy rainfall, and we appreciate you sharing this information with your friends, family, constituents, colleagues, and coworkers.

Illinois Tollway Includes Route 53 Extension in Proposed Capital Plan        

The Tollway Board has identified the Route 53 north extension (from Lake Cook Road to Route 120) as a long-term priority project in its proposed 10-year capital plan. The Tollway has also included $100 million toward planning and technical studies for the Route 53 project, as well as the Illiana Expressway (connecting I-55 from south of Joliet to I-65 near Lowell, Ind). The Tollway will be conducting a series of public hearings next month across the region to get public input into the plan.    

The Tollway has also created an "Illinois Route 53 Blue Ribbon Advisory Council" to look at creative alternatives, and develop consensus on environmental impacts and how to fund the project. The council will be co-chaired by County Board Chairman David Stolman and George Ranney, President and CEO of Metropolis Strategies and Prairie Holdings Corporation. The council will strive to develop a new, multi-modal design approach to the project that will improve travel, reduce congestion, and improve residents' quality of life. The council will make recommendations to the Tollway Board of Directors within one year. County Board Chairman David Stolman spoke at the Tollway Board Meeting on July 28 and subsequent press conference regarding the Rt. 53 project.

Read July 28 Illinois Tollway News Release

Heroin in Lake County 

In 2010, there were 35 heroin related deaths in Lake County- triple the amount from three years prior. In this edition of "Behind the Badge," Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran, along with narcotics officers, and recovering heroin addicts take us undercover to give an inside look at the heroin problem in Lake County.

This video is about thirty minutes long.Watch now 

Watch County Update: Water Resources

The population in Northeastern Illinois is projected to grow as much as 38 percent by 2050, and this growth is placing a huge demand on our water supply. To address this, Lake County, along with other state and local leaders are working together to plan for the future water supply needs of Lake County and the entire region. In this video , County Board Chairman David Stolman talks with County Board members Bonnie Thomson Carter and Ann Maine about water supply planning initiatives and what the public can do to conserve water.

Nature Note: Rare Katydid Found - Middlefork Savanna

Lake County Forest Preserve staff recently found the very rare and very pink katydid at Middlefork Savanna . First discovered back in 1887, the pink katydid is so rare that they occur once out of every 500 individuals. This coloration is the result of a condition called erythrism, similar to the recessive gene that afflicts albino animals. Katydids are large, leaf-shaped and usually green. They are named after a song they sing: katy did katy did katy did. Their green skin makes them somewhat hard to find for insect-chowing predators. But the pink ones are not afforded the same luxury.

For a calendar  of events, preserve maps  or general information about your Lake County Forest Preserves, call 847-367-6640 or visit online at www.LCFPD.org .

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