Flood — La Salle, Illinois

2008-09-15 to 2008-09-19 · near Seneca, La Salle, Illinois

$5.0M

Property damage

Event narrative

The Illinois River reached a record crest of 33.79 feet at LaSalle on the 16th. Major flooding occurred along the river in LaSalle County. In Marseilles, flood waters inundated Illini State Park and nearby areas. Flood waters inundated the Peru power plant. Brunner and Water Streets were closed due to flooding. Navigation on the river was halted as most lock facilities were submerged. The Interstate 39 bridge was the only one open as State Highways 251, 351, and 178 were closed. Homes and businesses in Utica were flooded. In Ottawa, 89 residents of a nursing home were evacuated. Dee Bennett Road between Ottawa and Utica was closed. Central Elementary School in Ottawa was surrounded by water and the auditorium was flooded with 8 inches of water.

Wider weather episode

High flows from tributaries emptied into the Illinois River, causing water levels to rise to record heights.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (41.2959, -88.5910)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 136504. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.