Flooding continues: Salt and Kickapoo Creeks reached unprecedented flow rates
 Take caution: Roads could remain flooded into next week

Overlooking Lincoln Lakes with an extended view westward, Lincoln Parkway transects the photo above and the Rockyford area nears the top.  Salt Creek flows in from the south along the west side of Lincoln Lakes before turning west to meet up with Kickapoo Creek at Rockyford. Area creeks flooded low lying areas, fields and roadways throughout the county.  [Click on photo for larger image]

[January 01, 2016]  LINCOLN - Ending the old and starting the new year, most of central Illinois including Logan County waterways and fields remain flooded making many roads and some highways impassable. Flooded conditions in some areas could remain into next week between Monday and Wednesday. So use caution when driving.

Emergency Manger Dan Fulscher monitors creek levels following heavy rains to help him prepare for what's going to happen. Water meters installed on area waterways about seven years ago were a big help in getting ahead this time. The newer tool allows the agency to estimate how quickly flooding may begin and the extent of precautions to take during water rescues.

Fulscher said that flow rates on Salt and Lake Fork Creeks this past week were unprecedented.

- Salt that normally runs at 5,040 cubic feet per second was running 7,890 cf/s on Tuesday morning exceeding the former high of 6,400 cf/s.

- Lake Fork reached over 13,000 cf/s flow and was over 20 feet deep at one time, is slowly dropping.

- The flow rate on Kickapoo Creek reached 9,050 cf/s on Tuesday. With a record high of 15.6 feet, Kickapoo reached 14 feet and had fallen back to 7 feet by mid-day on New Year's Eve.

Flooding on Salt Creek begins at 15 feet. The creek crested at 23.3 feet and had dropped to 21.6 by noon New Year's Eve.

Though many changes have been made and levies modified over recent years, the Salt Creek still breeched and covered roadways in and out of the Lincoln Lakes residential area.

The Lincoln Lakes Condo Association has worked in recent years with the Emergency Management Agency in developing plans and residents were prepared for this event with backup food, water and resources. "They've done excellent," Fulscher said.

One family evacuated the area on Wednesday but all others chose to stay and anticipated waiting out the waters receding to road passage state. EMA continued to be in contact with a representative every six hours. The dive team and boats were kept in the ready in case of a medical emergence or other urgent need.

A little further west at Rocky Ford where Kickapoo and Salt Creeks come together, a white pickup can be seen abandoned in flood waters. The lucky young man walked from his stalled vehicle after he drove in just to see how deep it was.
 
 Director Fulscher said he'd met with, and was greatly appreciative of assistance and support from Lincoln's Mayor Marty Neitzel, Logan County Board Chairman David Hepler and all the responders while preparing for the flooding. He'd also gotten a call of support from State Representative Tim Butler.
 
 Fulscher said, "No two floods are the same. Water comes from different directions."
 
 [Jan Youngquist]