Flooding concerns force closure of Illinois River

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IDNR Announces River Closures Due to Flooding

Illinois River from Marshall County to the confluence of the Mississippi River closed to recreational traffic

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) has announced the closure of the Illinois River due to flooding. Conservation Police are reporting flooding, dangerous currents and floating debris has created hazardous conditions on the Illinois River. River closures prohibit recreational river traffic. Public awareness of the area, and what is ahead, is imperative to personal safety.

“With river levels rising and additional rain in the forecast, conditions are not favorable for boating on the Illinois River,” said IDNR Director Colleen Callahan. “These conditions are treacherous for not only boaters, but our emergency response personnel who are called upon to respond to and rescue those involved in water mishaps.”

The ordered closure will begin at the IL-17 bridge in Lacon (Marshall County/mile marker 185) and continue to confluence in Grafton. The following counties are impacted by the closure of the Illinois River: Marshall, Peoria, Woodford, Tazewell, Fulton, Mason, Schuyler, Cass, Brown, Morgan, Scott, Pike, Calhoun, Greene and Jersey counties.

For additional information on river information, click this link.

Chicago River near LaSalle courtesy of Wikipedia

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

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