(Our personal flood story, complete with pictures, starts here at "Record Breaking Chicago rains". )
We have received updates and information from both the Albany Park Neighbors site and from the office of Alderman Laurino. I'll post that in a separate entry.
I would love to know how other people in the area are doing with clean-up and repair after the Albany Park flood. It's very slow here.. We don't yet have all of the carpeting pulled up nor do we have all of the wallboard down. My goal is to pull up the rest of the carpeting on the east half of our basement in the next 2-3 days, dry out that part of the basement, put down a tarp, and then start moving all of the saved items over to that side, also all of the saved items from upstairs, which are still cluttering our upstairs living room.
I happened to come across a video from the University of Iowa on salvaging and cleaning old records and DVD's. The University of Iowa, which is located in a beautiful location on the Iowa River in Iowa City, experienced unprecedented flooding last June. The library, the arts campus, and the student union building were seriously damaged, and many buildings are still closed. This video was recorded by the Preservation Department and it gives a demonstration of restoring both old records and DVD's.
Though we were able to save many or our DVD's from the flood, we still have many that were underwater. I will try the approach they suggest, which involves washing the DVD's in distilled water, then drying them first with alcohol, then hanging them to dry.
I haven't mowed my grass since the flood, and I still haven't planted the chrysanthemums that I bought just two days before the big rains. I think our autumn decorations will be a bit sparse this year.
(Next part of the Albany Park Flood Story: Albany Park Gets FEMA aid! )
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Normal depth of the Chicago River: 2 feet!!
(Our personal flood story, complete with pictures, starts at Albany Park floods-- Record-breaking rains. )
Earlier today I read that the normal depth of the Chicago River North Branch is all of two feet! (Sorry, I can't find the link.)
It had crested at 8 feet and caused such a mess.
A two-foot deep river!
(Next post: Restoring DVD's )
Earlier today I read that the normal depth of the Chicago River North Branch is all of two feet! (Sorry, I can't find the link.)
It had crested at 8 feet and caused such a mess.
A two-foot deep river!
(Next post: Restoring DVD's )
Thursday, September 25, 2008
albanyparkneighbors.blogspot.com
(Our personal flood story, complete with pictures, starts at Albany Park floods-- Record-breaking rains. )
Some of our neighbors who are also flood victims have started a blog at:
albanyparkneighbors.blogspot.com.
From their site:
This Web site was created to serve as a central point for Albany Park residents. We want to accomplish a couple of things:
* Gather the stories from the community (letters, photos and videos);
* Keep the community up-to-date on what is being done and what can be done;
* And raise the following issues:
1. Sewers and drainage;
2. Protection from the river and water management;
3. Response and communication during the crisis.
If you have stories, photos or videos that you want to share, or if you have questions (or answers) about any of the issues, please feel free to leave a comment or to send an e-mail to albanyparkflood (at) gmail.com
There will be a community meeting on Saturday, September 27 at 9:00 a.m. Location to be announced. Stay tuned!
And thanks to those people (whom I have not yet met) for mentioning my blog on their site.
Some of our neighbors who are also flood victims have started a blog at:
albanyparkneighbors.blogspot.com.
From their site:
This Web site was created to serve as a central point for Albany Park residents. We want to accomplish a couple of things:
* Gather the stories from the community (letters, photos and videos);
* Keep the community up-to-date on what is being done and what can be done;
* And raise the following issues:
1. Sewers and drainage;
2. Protection from the river and water management;
3. Response and communication during the crisis.
If you have stories, photos or videos that you want to share, or if you have questions (or answers) about any of the issues, please feel free to leave a comment or to send an e-mail to albanyparkflood (at) gmail.com
There will be a community meeting on Saturday, September 27 at 9:00 a.m. Location to be announced. Stay tuned!
And thanks to those people (whom I have not yet met) for mentioning my blog on their site.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Flood plains and furnaces
(Our personal flood story, complete with pictures, starts at Albany Park floods-- Record-breaking rains. )
I just had to find those online FEMA flood plain maps again. I remember carefully checking them before we bought this house to ascertain that this house, as close to the river as it is, is not on a flood plain. It is not. But, I was somewhat surprised to see, the houses on the other side of the river, on the 5000 block of Monticello (which became part of the river during the flood) are on a flood plain, though I can't remember which exact "level" of flood plain. In fact the marking on the flood plain map followed the path that the river took down the 5000 block of Monticello very closely. I suppose I can say that, for us, this is just a 100 year flood. I hope.
(I just heard that these flood plain maps were changed very recently. If so, that is why I didn't remember any of the residential neighborhoods around here as being on a flood plain. That's disturbing. You buy a home that isn't on a flood plain, and then it is. I didn't know that could happen.)
I believe that I will never feel the same way about rain, especially if thunderstorms and heavy rains are predicted. I find myself getting tense if even a little rain is predicted. This summer I've watched the people of Iowa, western Illinois and Missouri who struggled with the floods. I was watching news about Hurricane Ike the same morning that the Chicago River was overflowing! But living through the mess and the rebuilding is different than watching these things on the news.
There must be some PTSD (post-traumatic stress) for all of us who have lived with this kind of destruction and loss.
I now have a shiny new furnace and a shiny new hot water heater. The shiny new hot water heater replaced the shiny new hot water heater that we just put in last January, unfortunately. But the old furnace was 15 years old. All of the work was done in a few hours, and we were able to enjoy hot showers last night.
We've spent over $2,000 so far including the down payment on the furnace/water heater, and other bills are late. We've only begun. The washer/dryer, all of the furniture down there, the wallboard; all a loss. Thank heavens we have some insurance, but it won't come anywhere close to covering most of this.
(Next part of the Albany Park Flood Story: Normal Depth of the Chicago River is Two Feet! )
I just had to find those online FEMA flood plain maps again. I remember carefully checking them before we bought this house to ascertain that this house, as close to the river as it is, is not on a flood plain. It is not. But, I was somewhat surprised to see, the houses on the other side of the river, on the 5000 block of Monticello (which became part of the river during the flood) are on a flood plain, though I can't remember which exact "level" of flood plain. In fact the marking on the flood plain map followed the path that the river took down the 5000 block of Monticello very closely. I suppose I can say that, for us, this is just a 100 year flood. I hope.
(I just heard that these flood plain maps were changed very recently. If so, that is why I didn't remember any of the residential neighborhoods around here as being on a flood plain. That's disturbing. You buy a home that isn't on a flood plain, and then it is. I didn't know that could happen.)
I believe that I will never feel the same way about rain, especially if thunderstorms and heavy rains are predicted. I find myself getting tense if even a little rain is predicted. This summer I've watched the people of Iowa, western Illinois and Missouri who struggled with the floods. I was watching news about Hurricane Ike the same morning that the Chicago River was overflowing! But living through the mess and the rebuilding is different than watching these things on the news.
There must be some PTSD (post-traumatic stress) for all of us who have lived with this kind of destruction and loss.
I now have a shiny new furnace and a shiny new hot water heater. The shiny new hot water heater replaced the shiny new hot water heater that we just put in last January, unfortunately. But the old furnace was 15 years old. All of the work was done in a few hours, and we were able to enjoy hot showers last night.
We've spent over $2,000 so far including the down payment on the furnace/water heater, and other bills are late. We've only begun. The washer/dryer, all of the furniture down there, the wallboard; all a loss. Thank heavens we have some insurance, but it won't come anywhere close to covering most of this.
(Next part of the Albany Park Flood Story: Normal Depth of the Chicago River is Two Feet! )
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The Second Week --
(Our personal flood story, complete with pictures, starts at Albany Park floods-- Record-breaking rains. )
It's been 10 days since the flood.
We're still camped out in my son's room. At least the DISH TV box is working.
I've been spending a couple of hours in the basement every day... that seems to be about as much as I can manage.
I bought a big super-duper dehumidifier. Somehow I got the thing down into the basement myself and hooked it up to the drain. The humidity down there is down about 15% already. Our patio is filled with saved items that have been washed down and are drying in the sun.
We have about 9 boxes of papers, photos and souvenirs that were flooded, and I'm going through them sorting and saving. My son's office room table has been filled with drying pictures. Sunday I dealt with Paul's pictures. I told Paul, "Here is your life; spread out on this table."
Last night I came across a box with my son's baby pictures and another box with all of his school reports and report cards. Most of them are salvageable, thank heavens.
Now it's time to dig up more wet clothes and go off to the laundromat.
That's the interesting thing about tragedies and disasters. The news crews are gone, no more news helicopters waking us in the morning; but the mess just goes on. And it probably will for months.
(Next part of the Albany Park Flood Story: Flood Plains and Furnaces. )
It's been 10 days since the flood.
We're still camped out in my son's room. At least the DISH TV box is working.
I've been spending a couple of hours in the basement every day... that seems to be about as much as I can manage.
I bought a big super-duper dehumidifier. Somehow I got the thing down into the basement myself and hooked it up to the drain. The humidity down there is down about 15% already. Our patio is filled with saved items that have been washed down and are drying in the sun.
We have about 9 boxes of papers, photos and souvenirs that were flooded, and I'm going through them sorting and saving. My son's office room table has been filled with drying pictures. Sunday I dealt with Paul's pictures. I told Paul, "Here is your life; spread out on this table."
Last night I came across a box with my son's baby pictures and another box with all of his school reports and report cards. Most of them are salvageable, thank heavens.
Now it's time to dig up more wet clothes and go off to the laundromat.
That's the interesting thing about tragedies and disasters. The news crews are gone, no more news helicopters waking us in the morning; but the mess just goes on. And it probably will for months.
(Next part of the Albany Park Flood Story: Flood Plains and Furnaces. )
Friday, September 19, 2008
Insurance adjusters and wet carpeting
(Our personal flood story, complete with pictures, starts at Albany Park floods-- Record-breaking rains. )
Well, we do have a drain/sewer rider to our Homeowner's insurance. It's not going to cover anywhere close to the total loss, but it's a beginning.
The insurance adjuster was here today, taking pictures, looking things over, and he said that our home was the worst one he has seen during this last round of storms. But he admitted that he didn't have any homes to look at on the 5000 block of Monticello or over on Avers.
We've got approximately 48 x 25 square feet of wet carpeting over 48 x 25 square feet of wet carpet padding. I'm scoring it into pieces approximately 4 x 4 and hauling them up the stairs one at a time. Then we can start pulling down the wallboard.
After we get the furnace and the hot water heater up and running, I hope that we can get a new washer/dryer. Mine were old and they didn't work that well. I had to bail the darned washing machine every 2-3 days. Then we can figure out what to do with the structure of the family room.
Meanwhile I'm exhausted and I smell. Just keep your distance if you see me! (Our deodorants, safe in the downstairs bathroom medicine cabinet, made it through the storm. They were above the water line. But I smell anyway. It must be hauling garbage and carpet pieces and no hot water for regular showers.)
(Next part of the Albany Park Flood Story: Chicago River overflows: Recovery- The Second Week. )
Well, we do have a drain/sewer rider to our Homeowner's insurance. It's not going to cover anywhere close to the total loss, but it's a beginning.
The insurance adjuster was here today, taking pictures, looking things over, and he said that our home was the worst one he has seen during this last round of storms. But he admitted that he didn't have any homes to look at on the 5000 block of Monticello or over on Avers.
We've got approximately 48 x 25 square feet of wet carpeting over 48 x 25 square feet of wet carpet padding. I'm scoring it into pieces approximately 4 x 4 and hauling them up the stairs one at a time. Then we can start pulling down the wallboard.
After we get the furnace and the hot water heater up and running, I hope that we can get a new washer/dryer. Mine were old and they didn't work that well. I had to bail the darned washing machine every 2-3 days. Then we can figure out what to do with the structure of the family room.
Meanwhile I'm exhausted and I smell. Just keep your distance if you see me! (Our deodorants, safe in the downstairs bathroom medicine cabinet, made it through the storm. They were above the water line. But I smell anyway. It must be hauling garbage and carpet pieces and no hot water for regular showers.)
(Next part of the Albany Park Flood Story: Chicago River overflows: Recovery- The Second Week. )
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Albany Park mid-September
(Our personal flood story, complete with pictures, starts at Albany Park floods-- Record-breaking rains. )
I took a morning tour of the neighborhood on this beautiful perfect mid-September morning. I noticed that the little house by the river, a house abandoned last summer, the first house with the river rushing through it, was being demolished. Now that house should have been demolished a while back. It's been vacant for a year!
They had rose bushes growing in front of it.. The rose bushes had gone wild, but I would have loved to have dug them out and transplanted them. Those rose bushes, and every other part of the house are now in a city dumpster somewhere.
The waters have finally receded enough so that the bicycle path is again passable.
I can see the high water marks on buildings, on fences, and the river is still out of its banks!
The park is still a lake and the neighborhood ducks and geese are merrily swimming in it... the park benches in that park are still underwater.
Another little bridge over the river had been completely submerged. The high water debris is about two feet above the bridge.
I talked to several people and asked them where they lived and what kind of flooding they had experienced. "The river was up to the corner of the block, and we all had three to four feet of water in the basement." said one cheery man on the 5100 block of Hamlin. Yes, he was very cheery as he pulled garbage from his basement into the alley. He might as well be cheery! Does it do any good to mope?
The politicians have gone home, and the news reports that start with "Flooding in Albany Park" have ceased.
But we're all still here, pulling stuff out of basements, trying to create normalcy out of lives that have been ripped apart.
(Next part of the Albany Park Flood Story: Insurance adjusters and wet carpeting. )
I took a morning tour of the neighborhood on this beautiful perfect mid-September morning. I noticed that the little house by the river, a house abandoned last summer, the first house with the river rushing through it, was being demolished. Now that house should have been demolished a while back. It's been vacant for a year!
They had rose bushes growing in front of it.. The rose bushes had gone wild, but I would have loved to have dug them out and transplanted them. Those rose bushes, and every other part of the house are now in a city dumpster somewhere.
The waters have finally receded enough so that the bicycle path is again passable.
I can see the high water marks on buildings, on fences, and the river is still out of its banks!
The park is still a lake and the neighborhood ducks and geese are merrily swimming in it... the park benches in that park are still underwater.
Another little bridge over the river had been completely submerged. The high water debris is about two feet above the bridge.
I talked to several people and asked them where they lived and what kind of flooding they had experienced. "The river was up to the corner of the block, and we all had three to four feet of water in the basement." said one cheery man on the 5100 block of Hamlin. Yes, he was very cheery as he pulled garbage from his basement into the alley. He might as well be cheery! Does it do any good to mope?
The politicians have gone home, and the news reports that start with "Flooding in Albany Park" have ceased.
But we're all still here, pulling stuff out of basements, trying to create normalcy out of lives that have been ripped apart.
(Next part of the Albany Park Flood Story: Insurance adjusters and wet carpeting. )
The Clean-up - Day 5
(Our personal flood story, complete with pictures, starts at Albany Park floods-- Record-breaking rains. )
This morning was a perfectly beautiful mid-September morning in Chicago. 70+ degrees, sunny, not too humid. Perfect. The blooming roses, the perfect lush September flower beds, the ripening tomatoes bely the chaos of the inside of our home.
We've documented all of the mess, and now it's time to clean.
But where do you start? I walk from room to room, up and down, and don't even know what to do first. I actually have less energy to do anything today than yesterday, the first day that all of the water was out of the house. Why is that?
But we need to make the upstairs livable. It will be home for us for awhile, as we have no idea how long it will take before we can get the basement fixed. I've heard that we will have to replace the water heater and the furnace, as they were under water. Where will we find the money for that?
Our home, our port in the storm, doesn't feel like too much of a haven these days.
(Next part of the Albany Park Flood Story: Albany Park mid September. )
This morning was a perfectly beautiful mid-September morning in Chicago. 70+ degrees, sunny, not too humid. Perfect. The blooming roses, the perfect lush September flower beds, the ripening tomatoes bely the chaos of the inside of our home.
We've documented all of the mess, and now it's time to clean.
But where do you start? I walk from room to room, up and down, and don't even know what to do first. I actually have less energy to do anything today than yesterday, the first day that all of the water was out of the house. Why is that?
But we need to make the upstairs livable. It will be home for us for awhile, as we have no idea how long it will take before we can get the basement fixed. I've heard that we will have to replace the water heater and the furnace, as they were under water. Where will we find the money for that?
Our home, our port in the storm, doesn't feel like too much of a haven these days.
(Next part of the Albany Park Flood Story: Albany Park mid September. )
City of Chicago workers
(Our personal flood story, complete with pictures, starts at Albany Park floods-- Record-breaking rains. )
Starting the day after the flood, there were workers all over the place. City of Chicago Streets and Sanitation Workers dressed in hazmat garb gathered up ruined trash that people threw outside of their homes and they went into people's homes and helped elderly neighbors get the heavy stuff out their basements. They loaded all of the junk on big bulldozers.
People's Gas and ComEd trucks have been all over. I heard this morning that a home in a flood zone in Muenster, Indiana blew up overnight... Problems with gas. I guess it is a good thing that the gas was turned off around here, as difficult as it is to deal with no gas. At least it is September, the most temperate month around here. Most of us can live without heat or air conditioning for a few weeks in September.
(Next part of the Albany Park Flood Story: Clean Up Day 5. )
Starting the day after the flood, there were workers all over the place. City of Chicago Streets and Sanitation Workers dressed in hazmat garb gathered up ruined trash that people threw outside of their homes and they went into people's homes and helped elderly neighbors get the heavy stuff out their basements. They loaded all of the junk on big bulldozers.
People's Gas and ComEd trucks have been all over. I heard this morning that a home in a flood zone in Muenster, Indiana blew up overnight... Problems with gas. I guess it is a good thing that the gas was turned off around here, as difficult as it is to deal with no gas. At least it is September, the most temperate month around here. Most of us can live without heat or air conditioning for a few weeks in September.
(Next part of the Albany Park Flood Story: Clean Up Day 5. )
Meeting Neighbors
(Our personal flood story, complete with pictures, starts at Albany Park floods-- Record-breaking rains. )
We've lived here for three years. We know some of the people on this street.... we smile at them as we drive by. But we don't really talk to them.
The best thing that comes out of disasters is that people start to meet their neighbors, to complain, to help, to exchange the latest info on gas, electric, city services, possible FEMA assistance. That's nice.
I've talked to more people in this area, both people on my own block, and people on other blocks, in the last five days than I have in the last three years. I met the couple that just moved in... yep, just a month ago, with their two little kids at the end of the block. They also did their homework and heard that the street doesn't flood.
I met the woman with the beautful house right on the river on the 5000 block of Monticello.. She has big picture windows that open onto the creek. And the gentleman who lives behind her on the 5000 block of Central Park. He was setting up a pump early, Saturday afternoon. I wonder how he did.
There's a new bond in the community: How were things on your block? How high was the water? What did you lose?
The neighborhood seems friendlier; the bond of disaster and tragedy.
(Next part of the Albany Park Flood Story: City of Chicago workers Help Get Rid of Junk. )
We've lived here for three years. We know some of the people on this street.... we smile at them as we drive by. But we don't really talk to them.
The best thing that comes out of disasters is that people start to meet their neighbors, to complain, to help, to exchange the latest info on gas, electric, city services, possible FEMA assistance. That's nice.
I've talked to more people in this area, both people on my own block, and people on other blocks, in the last five days than I have in the last three years. I met the couple that just moved in... yep, just a month ago, with their two little kids at the end of the block. They also did their homework and heard that the street doesn't flood.
I met the woman with the beautful house right on the river on the 5000 block of Monticello.. She has big picture windows that open onto the creek. And the gentleman who lives behind her on the 5000 block of Central Park. He was setting up a pump early, Saturday afternoon. I wonder how he did.
There's a new bond in the community: How were things on your block? How high was the water? What did you lose?
The neighborhood seems friendlier; the bond of disaster and tragedy.
(Next part of the Albany Park Flood Story: City of Chicago workers Help Get Rid of Junk. )
Chicago River overflows... Refugees in our own home..
(Our personal flood story, complete with pictures, starts at Albany Park floods-- Record-breaking rains. )
Our bedroom was under water, now it is just waterlogged. Our heavy waterbed had floated a couple of feet off of its "mooring". We emptied it, but waterbeds, with an internal support of foam, never really empty. You are supposed to be able to empty one without damaging the darned thing, but it is very tricky and I'm not sure if anybody has ever actually done it. We are still hoping that the waterbed mattress and its frame, which is designed to be a bit more water-friendly than a normal bedframe, will survive.
So... we moved upstairs. We are supposed to have three bedrooms up here, but there is only one usable bedroom right now. My son has turned the smallest of the bedrooms into an office/computer room and the third bedroom, which is supposed to be a guest room, is unfortunately full of "stuff".
My son is at school, so we are temporarily camped out in his room. We saved the Dish network box, so Paul set up a T.V. in there. But somehow it feels as though we are in a motel. I cleared out a few drawers in my son's dresser so that we can put our things there, but we spend a lot of time losing things and trying to remember where we put things.
We still don't have hot water, and it is unclear as to whether or not the water heater will have to be replaced. I've heard conflicting things. So sponge baths and showers at friends' houses will have to suffice.
(Next part of the Albany Park Flood Story:
Meeting Neighbors. )
Our bedroom was under water, now it is just waterlogged. Our heavy waterbed had floated a couple of feet off of its "mooring". We emptied it, but waterbeds, with an internal support of foam, never really empty. You are supposed to be able to empty one without damaging the darned thing, but it is very tricky and I'm not sure if anybody has ever actually done it. We are still hoping that the waterbed mattress and its frame, which is designed to be a bit more water-friendly than a normal bedframe, will survive.
So... we moved upstairs. We are supposed to have three bedrooms up here, but there is only one usable bedroom right now. My son has turned the smallest of the bedrooms into an office/computer room and the third bedroom, which is supposed to be a guest room, is unfortunately full of "stuff".
My son is at school, so we are temporarily camped out in his room. We saved the Dish network box, so Paul set up a T.V. in there. But somehow it feels as though we are in a motel. I cleared out a few drawers in my son's dresser so that we can put our things there, but we spend a lot of time losing things and trying to remember where we put things.
We still don't have hot water, and it is unclear as to whether or not the water heater will have to be replaced. I've heard conflicting things. So sponge baths and showers at friends' houses will have to suffice.
(Next part of the Albany Park Flood Story:
Meeting Neighbors. )
Depression and Grief after the Albany Park Flood
(Our personal Albany Park flood story, complete with pictures, starts at Albany Park floods-- Record-breaking rains. )
We've lost our home.
Well, that's a bit melodramatic. Our roof is still over our head; no windows have been broken, and the outside, everything looks the same... The flower beds blooming brightly, the front lawn still looks pretty as I mowed it and edged it last Thursday, the day before the last day of normalcy.
Our loss pales in comparison to that experienced in Galveston, and to that experienced in other parts of our neighborhood.
The homes on the block south of us flooded so quickly that people had no time to get anything out. They described water coming down the gangways and steps like a waterfall. Water came in through the windows into the garden apartments of homes on the 5100 block of Avers, just a couple of blocks west of us. They were taking people out of their homes on boats.
And, of course, we are fine and our dogs are fine. We just have to keep them out of the basement.
But loss is loss and grief is grief. Anyone who goes through such a flood, such a loss, will grieve the loss of the home they had. The good old comfortable sofa is water-logged and will be tossed. My beautiful teak double dresser, a beautiful piece of furniture that has followed me from home to home for 30 years is ruined.
We are in disarray, and though we have our electricity back, we still have no hot water.
It's still a shock to go down into the basement, and we still can't find anything.
(Next part of the Albany Park Flood Story: Chicago River overflows: Refugees in our own home. )
We've lost our home.
Well, that's a bit melodramatic. Our roof is still over our head; no windows have been broken, and the outside, everything looks the same... The flower beds blooming brightly, the front lawn still looks pretty as I mowed it and edged it last Thursday, the day before the last day of normalcy.
Our loss pales in comparison to that experienced in Galveston, and to that experienced in other parts of our neighborhood.
The homes on the block south of us flooded so quickly that people had no time to get anything out. They described water coming down the gangways and steps like a waterfall. Water came in through the windows into the garden apartments of homes on the 5100 block of Avers, just a couple of blocks west of us. They were taking people out of their homes on boats.
And, of course, we are fine and our dogs are fine. We just have to keep them out of the basement.
But loss is loss and grief is grief. Anyone who goes through such a flood, such a loss, will grieve the loss of the home they had. The good old comfortable sofa is water-logged and will be tossed. My beautiful teak double dresser, a beautiful piece of furniture that has followed me from home to home for 30 years is ruined.
We are in disarray, and though we have our electricity back, we still have no hot water.
It's still a shock to go down into the basement, and we still can't find anything.
(Next part of the Albany Park Flood Story: Chicago River overflows: Refugees in our own home. )
The Albany Park flood water is gone!
(Our personal Albany Park flood story, complete with pictures, starts at Albany Park floods-- Record-breaking rains. )
I went to my friend's house Monday night. She has been gracious enough to allow us to shower at her home, and she fed us on Sunday night. The water had started to recede in our basement, but we still had about 18 inches to two feet of water down there when I left for her home Monday evening. A neighbor told me that he would come by with a generator when I got home and he would help us pump out the rest of the water. (My husband was working.)
But when I got home after dinner, about 9 p.m., the water was gone! I took my flashlight (as we still didn't have any electricity) and cautiously and anxiously ventured down the stairs.
The wall-to-wall carpeting was still very squishy, all kinds of stuff had just piled up in various corners to which it had floated, most of our furniture was ruined..... Obviously a huge amount of work awaited us, and things were already beginning to smell musty.
The pictures tell the story of what was left better than I ever could.
More mess pics on Flickr
( Next part of the Albany Park flood story: Depression and grief.)
I went to my friend's house Monday night. She has been gracious enough to allow us to shower at her home, and she fed us on Sunday night. The water had started to recede in our basement, but we still had about 18 inches to two feet of water down there when I left for her home Monday evening. A neighbor told me that he would come by with a generator when I got home and he would help us pump out the rest of the water. (My husband was working.)
But when I got home after dinner, about 9 p.m., the water was gone! I took my flashlight (as we still didn't have any electricity) and cautiously and anxiously ventured down the stairs.
The wall-to-wall carpeting was still very squishy, all kinds of stuff had just piled up in various corners to which it had floated, most of our furniture was ruined..... Obviously a huge amount of work awaited us, and things were already beginning to smell musty.
The pictures tell the story of what was left better than I ever could.
More mess pics on Flickr
( Next part of the Albany Park flood story: Depression and grief.)
Senator Durbin and the Press Conference
(Our personal flood story, complete with pictures, starts at Albany Park floods-- Record-breaking rains. )
I was walking about the neighborhood Monday morning. We still had 3 feet of water in our basement, and there was still not much that we could do.
I walked up on the bridge by the bike trail and noticed hordes of reporters and cameras. I heard that a press conference had been called for 11:30, just the time that I was taking my walk. The cameramen tend to be tall... I think it's probably a necessity in that business.
So I hung around. Senator Dick Durbin was there, along with our Alderman Marge Laurino. Someone said that our other Illinois senator, Barack Obama, had sent a representative, but I'm not sure who that was. City officials talked about when they opened the locks, why they had to wait, what they were going to do, much of which I could not hear.
They talked to homeowners, talked about getting federal disaster money, talked about projects that might have (or might still) prevent such a calamity in the future. The homes below them, on the 5000 block of Monticello were still surrounded by water.
Next part of the story: The Albany Park Flood Water is gone!
Here's a few news clips from that press conference:
Fox clip
ABC local clip
Chicagoist clip
Sun Times article
WGN radio
I was walking about the neighborhood Monday morning. We still had 3 feet of water in our basement, and there was still not much that we could do.
I walked up on the bridge by the bike trail and noticed hordes of reporters and cameras. I heard that a press conference had been called for 11:30, just the time that I was taking my walk. The cameramen tend to be tall... I think it's probably a necessity in that business.
So I hung around. Senator Dick Durbin was there, along with our Alderman Marge Laurino. Someone said that our other Illinois senator, Barack Obama, had sent a representative, but I'm not sure who that was. City officials talked about when they opened the locks, why they had to wait, what they were going to do, much of which I could not hear.
They talked to homeowners, talked about getting federal disaster money, talked about projects that might have (or might still) prevent such a calamity in the future. The homes below them, on the 5000 block of Monticello were still surrounded by water.
Next part of the story: The Albany Park Flood Water is gone!
Here's a few news clips from that press conference:
Fox clip
ABC local clip
Chicagoist clip
Sun Times article
WGN radio
No electricity, no gas
(Our personal flood story, complete with pictures, starts at Albany Park floods-- Record-breaking rains. )
It was deathly quiet that first night, the Sunday night after the flood. The electricity to the neighborhood had been turned off, and People's Gas was digging down the street. We later heard that they had pulled up a piece of gas pipe on every block in the neighborhood to cut off the gas and to minimize the possibility of explosions or fire.
We went to my dear friend Chris' house. She made Paul a burger and I had Thai soup. Paul promptly fell asleep on her couch and slept for a couple of hours.
Our neighborhood was blocked off by police cars, so we had to take the side streets and the alleys to get through. The whole neighborhood, all the way east to Kimball, was without electricity and was eerily dark, eerily silent...
Except for those who had generators. The generators hummed all night.
At least it had stopped raining.
We had a Radio Shack wind up emergency radio and we listened to the news reports on WBBM 780 all night long.
The night was difficult, but eventually Monday morning dawned, bright, sunny, and dry.
We looked down the stairs, but we really couldn't tell if the water had started to go down or not. It still looked as though it were on the fifth step. At least it hadn't gone any higher.
Next part of the story: Senator Durbin and the Press Conference on the Bridge
It was deathly quiet that first night, the Sunday night after the flood. The electricity to the neighborhood had been turned off, and People's Gas was digging down the street. We later heard that they had pulled up a piece of gas pipe on every block in the neighborhood to cut off the gas and to minimize the possibility of explosions or fire.
We went to my dear friend Chris' house. She made Paul a burger and I had Thai soup. Paul promptly fell asleep on her couch and slept for a couple of hours.
Our neighborhood was blocked off by police cars, so we had to take the side streets and the alleys to get through. The whole neighborhood, all the way east to Kimball, was without electricity and was eerily dark, eerily silent...
Except for those who had generators. The generators hummed all night.
At least it had stopped raining.
We had a Radio Shack wind up emergency radio and we listened to the news reports on WBBM 780 all night long.
The night was difficult, but eventually Monday morning dawned, bright, sunny, and dry.
We looked down the stairs, but we really couldn't tell if the water had started to go down or not. It still looked as though it were on the fifth step. At least it hadn't gone any higher.
Next part of the story: Senator Durbin and the Press Conference on the Bridge
Shock after the flood - Sunday morning
(Our personal flood story, complete with pictures, starts at Albany Park floods-- Record-breaking rains. )
It is hard to describe what we felt early Sunday morning. We were exhausted and in shock. We didn't know how far the water was going to rise. We didn't know how much we would lose, nor did we know how long we would have that water in our basement.
About 5 a.m., I ventured outside, just as the sun was starting to lighten the skies. The people across the street had a pump! They were busy pumping water out of their basements and they were drinking beer. Not much else to do at that time.. just watch the water and drink.
(I later heard a resident of the 5000 block of Monticello, the lower-lying block that was hit much worse than ours, describe the arrival of the water. "I saw how fast the water was rising, and I knew I couldn't do anything. So we closed the door to the basement and opened a bottle of wine." When you've reached a certain kind of resignation, you understand that sentiment completely.)
I asked the neighbors about the pump. "The Home Depot on Kimball has stayed open all night to sell pumps," I was told. So we found Paul's spare car key (we couldn't find his key ring) and we got in his car and ventured out to the Home Depot.
There is something surreal about moving back into the "real" world when your own world has turned to chaos. Our house was dark, as we weren't going to turn the electricity back on. The rest of the world had lights and power. Our house was a literal disaster area, with water in our downstairs living area and stuff filling every nook of the upstairs. The rest of the world lived in more orderly homes. We were dirty and wet and exhausted. The rest of the world was clean, dry, and still sleeping on that Sunday morning.
We quickly bought a pump... too quickly as it turned out; as the pump we bought was really unsuitable for our needs. But we didn't realize that until we started to read through the instructions.
We didn't have any electricity but the neighbors did. We saw that the house to the south, a house that is empty as its owners have moved away, had electricity and an outside outlet. It was still raining and I couldn't get our side gate open. So Paul, bad neck and all, jumped the fence and hooked up an extension cord to the neighbor's outlet.
Then we tried to read through the pump instructions.. Paul was reading over the manual..... and he fell asleep. Yep, just zonked right out, head nodding over the owner's manual. I think I managed to wake him and get him into the bedroom while I continued to look at the manual. No, this is the wrong kind of pump, I decided. We needed a smaller pump. I decided that we should go back to the Home Depot.
But I was too exhausted to do any more, and Paul was sleeping, so I also went to lie down. When Paul awoke just a few hours later, he seemed confused. I realized that he hadn't eaten anything since before he had left work Saturday evening. Finally when he awoke a bit, he decided that we should go to Dunkin Donuts and then back to the Home Depot for a smaller pump.
He did decide that it was a better idea if I drove so we got into my car. By the time we got to the Dunkin Donuts, Paul had again fallen into a deep sleep. He stirred a bit and said that he didn't want donuts. I decided to get burgers, so we went through the McDonald's drive through. But they were still serving breakfast; no burgers yet.
I drove back through the rain to the Home Depot and got the smaller pump. By that time, it was late enough for burgers at Mickie D's. I got burgers. Paul had one bite and fell back asleep.
We went home; he went to bed for a few hours. He did not even remember the trip to McDonald's and the Home Depot when he awoke.
It is hard to describe what we felt early Sunday morning. We were exhausted and in shock. We didn't know how far the water was going to rise. We didn't know how much we would lose, nor did we know how long we would have that water in our basement.
About 5 a.m., I ventured outside, just as the sun was starting to lighten the skies. The people across the street had a pump! They were busy pumping water out of their basements and they were drinking beer. Not much else to do at that time.. just watch the water and drink.
They closed the door and opened the wine
(I later heard a resident of the 5000 block of Monticello, the lower-lying block that was hit much worse than ours, describe the arrival of the water. "I saw how fast the water was rising, and I knew I couldn't do anything. So we closed the door to the basement and opened a bottle of wine." When you've reached a certain kind of resignation, you understand that sentiment completely.)
I asked the neighbors about the pump. "The Home Depot on Kimball has stayed open all night to sell pumps," I was told. So we found Paul's spare car key (we couldn't find his key ring) and we got in his car and ventured out to the Home Depot.
The surreal "other" world
There is something surreal about moving back into the "real" world when your own world has turned to chaos. Our house was dark, as we weren't going to turn the electricity back on. The rest of the world had lights and power. Our house was a literal disaster area, with water in our downstairs living area and stuff filling every nook of the upstairs. The rest of the world lived in more orderly homes. We were dirty and wet and exhausted. The rest of the world was clean, dry, and still sleeping on that Sunday morning.
We quickly bought a pump... too quickly as it turned out; as the pump we bought was really unsuitable for our needs. But we didn't realize that until we started to read through the instructions.
We didn't have any electricity but the neighbors did. We saw that the house to the south, a house that is empty as its owners have moved away, had electricity and an outside outlet. It was still raining and I couldn't get our side gate open. So Paul, bad neck and all, jumped the fence and hooked up an extension cord to the neighbor's outlet.
Then we tried to read through the pump instructions.. Paul was reading over the manual..... and he fell asleep. Yep, just zonked right out, head nodding over the owner's manual. I think I managed to wake him and get him into the bedroom while I continued to look at the manual. No, this is the wrong kind of pump, I decided. We needed a smaller pump. I decided that we should go back to the Home Depot.
Exhaustion and confusion
But I was too exhausted to do any more, and Paul was sleeping, so I also went to lie down. When Paul awoke just a few hours later, he seemed confused. I realized that he hadn't eaten anything since before he had left work Saturday evening. Finally when he awoke a bit, he decided that we should go to Dunkin Donuts and then back to the Home Depot for a smaller pump.
He did decide that it was a better idea if I drove so we got into my car. By the time we got to the Dunkin Donuts, Paul had again fallen into a deep sleep. He stirred a bit and said that he didn't want donuts. I decided to get burgers, so we went through the McDonald's drive through. But they were still serving breakfast; no burgers yet.
I drove back through the rain to the Home Depot and got the smaller pump. By that time, it was late enough for burgers at Mickie D's. I got burgers. Paul had one bite and fell back asleep.
We went home; he went to bed for a few hours. He did not even remember the trip to McDonald's and the Home Depot when he awoke.
And a visitor from Texas: The remnants of Hurricane Ike
Meanwhile, the Hurricane Ike rains had started. At times it was raining heavily. The rains weren't expected to stop until early evening. I kept looking at the skies admonishing the clouds to stop raining. I wondered if the river had yet crested and if we had yet reached high tide in our basement.
We peeked through the basement door and found that the water was on Step 5:
(Click for the full effect:)
More pictures here at Flickr:
After the Flood pictures at Flickr
Next part of the story: No electricity, no gas
We peeked through the basement door and found that the water was on Step 5:
(Click for the full effect:)
More pictures here at Flickr:
After the Flood pictures at Flickr
Next part of the story: No electricity, no gas
Here comes the water!
(Our personal flood story, complete with pictures, starts at Albany Park floods-- Record-breaking rains. )
I realized with horror that I could no longer hear the gurgling of rivulets of water into the drain because the drained had filled.
My husband and I looked at the drain in the laundry room, now filled to the top with water, and we knew in a second what that meant.
The water was quickly above the drain and starting to fill the laundry room. My husband's initial inclination was to bail, using a big garbage can and starting to scoop up water and throw it into the stationary tubs.
I started to grab things off of the floor and put them on the stairs. Anything low, boxes of important papers, drawers with important papers in plastic file cabinets, Paul's vintage music box that was passed down to him from his grandmother.
After about 10 minutes my husband realized that bailing was going to do no good, and he joined me in frantically grabbing as much stuff as we could as the waters started rising higher and faster above the sewer drain.
I grabbed my computer and took it upstairs. We looked at our TV/stereo system and concentrated most of our efforts there. The Dish network box was low, near the floor, and my husband started pulling cables and wires. We got it out; the first AV piece up the stairs. The DVD player, the relatively new Yamaha receiver, amplifiers and other stuff, we somehow got out and up the stairs. We let the wires behind, figuring they were replaceable.
The big TV was on a stand, so we didn't take it at first, but then we realized that the water was rising fast... so somehow we struggled with the 50 inch TV and got it up the stairs, sitting it in the kitchen... where it still sits now.
One of our computers was on a little table. No, my husband said, let's not get it yet; the water is not that high. We were struggling with one of the big heavy Polk speakers, and the darned thing slipped out of our grasp and hit the water, knocking over the table with the computer at the same time. That computer... with all of our vacation pictures on it... was gone. We watched it sink.
The big Polk speaker, one of my presents to my husband back in 2004, was in the water. We got the other Polk speaker upstairs. Not sure what good one Polk speaker will do.
Sometime in there we heard a hissing. We realized with horror that the water had reached the level of the electrical outlets. "Pull the main!" my husband yelled, as I was closer to the circuit breaker box. So I walked over to it, pulled the breaker, and everything went dark. We continued to work with flashlights.
We did pull all of the posters and paintings off the wall as we didn't know how high the water was going to go.
The stereo stack was empty, the big TV was upstairs, the bathroom TV was upstairs. My husband had grabbed his clothes and they were upstairs. The water was continuing to rise; we were in water to our thighs by this time and it was just time to stop.
My husband wanted to save our bedroom TV, an older model Proscan that he loved and had had for 10 years. But it was heavy, heavier than the big Sony that we had somehow managed to drag up the stairs. My husband somehow managed to put it up on his dresser, but I dissuaded him from trying to move it up the steps with his bad neck. It wasn't worth another spinal surgery. Fortunately, he agreed, and that was the end of that.
So that was that. The end of our lovely family room/bedroom that was such a refuge for us. It was under water, the comfortable leather sofa, my husband's leather chair that he'd had for so many years, the water bed was starting to float. I grabbed the comforter and some of our pillows off of the bed at the last minute.
I took a last look around... the water heater and the furnace were sitting in about three feet of water by that time. The bathtub and the toilet were sitting in three feet of water. The washer and dryer were in three feet of water. My beautiful old teak dresser was taking on more water.
We went upstairs, hoping the waters would not follow us up the stairs. It was 4:30 in the morning and neither of us could think, much less walk or talk.
We closed the door to the basement and collapsed onto the couch.
Next part of the story: Shock after the Flood.
Our living room with all of the stuff that we "saved":
Next part of the story: Shock after the flood.
I realized with horror that I could no longer hear the gurgling of rivulets of water into the drain because the drained had filled.
My husband and I looked at the drain in the laundry room, now filled to the top with water, and we knew in a second what that meant.
The water was quickly above the drain and starting to fill the laundry room. My husband's initial inclination was to bail, using a big garbage can and starting to scoop up water and throw it into the stationary tubs.
I started to grab things off of the floor and put them on the stairs. Anything low, boxes of important papers, drawers with important papers in plastic file cabinets, Paul's vintage music box that was passed down to him from his grandmother.
After about 10 minutes my husband realized that bailing was going to do no good, and he joined me in frantically grabbing as much stuff as we could as the waters started rising higher and faster above the sewer drain.
I grabbed my computer and took it upstairs. We looked at our TV/stereo system and concentrated most of our efforts there. The Dish network box was low, near the floor, and my husband started pulling cables and wires. We got it out; the first AV piece up the stairs. The DVD player, the relatively new Yamaha receiver, amplifiers and other stuff, we somehow got out and up the stairs. We let the wires behind, figuring they were replaceable.
The big TV was on a stand, so we didn't take it at first, but then we realized that the water was rising fast... so somehow we struggled with the 50 inch TV and got it up the stairs, sitting it in the kitchen... where it still sits now.
One of our computers was on a little table. No, my husband said, let's not get it yet; the water is not that high. We were struggling with one of the big heavy Polk speakers, and the darned thing slipped out of our grasp and hit the water, knocking over the table with the computer at the same time. That computer... with all of our vacation pictures on it... was gone. We watched it sink.
The big Polk speaker, one of my presents to my husband back in 2004, was in the water. We got the other Polk speaker upstairs. Not sure what good one Polk speaker will do.
Sometime in there we heard a hissing. We realized with horror that the water had reached the level of the electrical outlets. "Pull the main!" my husband yelled, as I was closer to the circuit breaker box. So I walked over to it, pulled the breaker, and everything went dark. We continued to work with flashlights.
We did pull all of the posters and paintings off the wall as we didn't know how high the water was going to go.
The stereo stack was empty, the big TV was upstairs, the bathroom TV was upstairs. My husband had grabbed his clothes and they were upstairs. The water was continuing to rise; we were in water to our thighs by this time and it was just time to stop.
My husband wanted to save our bedroom TV, an older model Proscan that he loved and had had for 10 years. But it was heavy, heavier than the big Sony that we had somehow managed to drag up the stairs. My husband somehow managed to put it up on his dresser, but I dissuaded him from trying to move it up the steps with his bad neck. It wasn't worth another spinal surgery. Fortunately, he agreed, and that was the end of that.
So that was that. The end of our lovely family room/bedroom that was such a refuge for us. It was under water, the comfortable leather sofa, my husband's leather chair that he'd had for so many years, the water bed was starting to float. I grabbed the comforter and some of our pillows off of the bed at the last minute.
I took a last look around... the water heater and the furnace were sitting in about three feet of water by that time. The bathtub and the toilet were sitting in three feet of water. The washer and dryer were in three feet of water. My beautiful old teak dresser was taking on more water.
We went upstairs, hoping the waters would not follow us up the stairs. It was 4:30 in the morning and neither of us could think, much less walk or talk.
We closed the door to the basement and collapsed onto the couch.
Next part of the story: Shock after the Flood.
Our living room with all of the stuff that we "saved":
Next part of the story: Shock after the flood.
The River Watch Saturday night
(Our personal flood story, complete with pictures, starts at Albany Park floods-- Record-breaking rains. )
It was still raining Saturday night, and I walked the street with my raincoat on, soaked anyway.
Here's a short video I found on YouTube. It was taken about two blocks west of our house, on the other side of the flooded park:
Flood from Avers and Foster on YouTube .
We didn't have any water in our street on Saturday afternoon, but with floods all around us, I was worried.
I kept going back to the river. I had spotted a tree and that tree was my guidepost. The river rose past that tree. Would the river rise over the little hill that separated the bicycle path from the alley and the homes on our street?
I went out to the front of our house. I walked down to the river. I had a guidepost up there also.... Would the river rise above that guidepost and start to inundate our street as it had inundated the 5000 blocks of Monticello and Central Park?
Sometime in the evening the water did start to tumble into our street. It stayed in the street, just in front of the southernmost houses on our street, and it didn't go up the lawns to people's houses. Maybe that was a good sign!
I watched all evening, in my raincoat, until 9 or 10 o'clock. The river didn't seem to be getting any higher on the far southern side of our street. Perhaps we were going to be o.k.
In our home, down in our family room, we were still safe and sound.
And then we heard water.
Just a few drops, but it was definitely water. Where was it coming from?
It was in the laundry room. Behind the refrigerator. Paul pulled the refrigerator away from the wall, and we saw a trickle of water underneath it. Just a trickle.
Maybe there was something wrong with the refrigerator?
No such luck... we noticed drops emerging from heretofore-unnoticed cracks in the basement floor around the drain in the laundry room. First just one little rivulet from one tiny crack, then another. But the water was dripping from those little cracks right into the drain, so that wasn't much of a problem. Nothing else in the basement seemed wet.
I went back to watch t.v., Paul was out in the garage doing something. And then I noticed that I didn't hear that little flow of water anymore.
Maybe the water had stopped? Hopefully, I went over to the drain to look.
Then I saw why the flow of water had stopped making the little gurgling noise.
Next part of the story: Here comes the water!
It was still raining Saturday night, and I walked the street with my raincoat on, soaked anyway.
Here's a short video I found on YouTube. It was taken about two blocks west of our house, on the other side of the flooded park:
Flood from Avers and Foster on YouTube .
We didn't have any water in our street on Saturday afternoon, but with floods all around us, I was worried.
I kept going back to the river. I had spotted a tree and that tree was my guidepost. The river rose past that tree. Would the river rise over the little hill that separated the bicycle path from the alley and the homes on our street?
I went out to the front of our house. I walked down to the river. I had a guidepost up there also.... Would the river rise above that guidepost and start to inundate our street as it had inundated the 5000 blocks of Monticello and Central Park?
Sometime in the evening the water did start to tumble into our street. It stayed in the street, just in front of the southernmost houses on our street, and it didn't go up the lawns to people's houses. Maybe that was a good sign!
I watched all evening, in my raincoat, until 9 or 10 o'clock. The river didn't seem to be getting any higher on the far southern side of our street. Perhaps we were going to be o.k.
In our home, down in our family room, we were still safe and sound.
And then we heard water.
Just a few drops, but it was definitely water. Where was it coming from?
It was in the laundry room. Behind the refrigerator. Paul pulled the refrigerator away from the wall, and we saw a trickle of water underneath it. Just a trickle.
Maybe there was something wrong with the refrigerator?
No such luck... we noticed drops emerging from heretofore-unnoticed cracks in the basement floor around the drain in the laundry room. First just one little rivulet from one tiny crack, then another. But the water was dripping from those little cracks right into the drain, so that wasn't much of a problem. Nothing else in the basement seemed wet.
I went back to watch t.v., Paul was out in the garage doing something. And then I noticed that I didn't hear that little flow of water anymore.
Maybe the water had stopped? Hopefully, I went over to the drain to look.
Then I saw why the flow of water had stopped making the little gurgling noise.
Next part of the story: Here comes the water!
Chicago River --- The North Branch
(Our personal flood story, complete with pictures, starts at Albany Park floods-- Record-breaking rains. )
Most people think of the Chicago River as the large body of water that the city dyes green on St. Patrick's Day. The Chicago River runs through the heart of downtown and occasionally people are delayed as they have to wait for the bridges to open to allow tall boat traffic to pass along the river. People take Chicago River commuter boats from the train stations to work locations farther north near Michigan Boulevard.
There's been development along the river... walking paths have been built downtown and there has been recent house and condo construction on the near north side of the city.
As the river moves north, it becomes more pastoral, and boaters and kayakers are often seen on the Chicago River.
I always thought that the Chicago River continued north, through the Ravenswood Manor neighborhood, then following McCormick Boulevard, eventually winding up near the BaHai temple in Wilmette.
But only part of that stream is the Chicago River. The "real" Chicago River actually starts far north, in the Skokie lagoons, with various little branches that criss cross Glenview and other northern suburbs. There's a West Fork that bisects downtown Glenview. Sometimes it doesn't have any water in it. The creek that runs through the Wilmette golf course finds its way south to the Chicago River. These streams join and become the North Branch somewhere near the golf courses that border Golf Road in Glenview and Niles.
The river meanders south near Caldwell Avenue in Skokie, winding through... well, more golf courses. Someone with nothing better to do should count the number of golf courses that this river touches.
It finally crosses the Edens about 5600 north, and starts to head east. It crosses more parks, three cemeteries, our community (Albany Park/North Park), and North Park University before it waterfalls into the North Channel near Foster and Albany avenues. There's a park where the little North Branch meets the much larger North Channel, and it's a beautiful place for short hikes. Then the little branch heads south into the big Chicago River that is much better known.
When the Skokie lagoons and the various little streams in Glenview fill, the North Branch looks more like a stream than a creek. But that isn't too often and it still doesn't spill its banks.
But after the record-breaking rains of Friday night and Saturday morning, September 12 and 13, 2008, the various tributaries were full to capacity, sending torrents into the peaceful little stream and causing chaos in the city.
Next part of the story: River Watch Saturday Night
Most people think of the Chicago River as the large body of water that the city dyes green on St. Patrick's Day. The Chicago River runs through the heart of downtown and occasionally people are delayed as they have to wait for the bridges to open to allow tall boat traffic to pass along the river. People take Chicago River commuter boats from the train stations to work locations farther north near Michigan Boulevard.
There's been development along the river... walking paths have been built downtown and there has been recent house and condo construction on the near north side of the city.
As the river moves north, it becomes more pastoral, and boaters and kayakers are often seen on the Chicago River.
I always thought that the Chicago River continued north, through the Ravenswood Manor neighborhood, then following McCormick Boulevard, eventually winding up near the BaHai temple in Wilmette.
But only part of that stream is the Chicago River. The "real" Chicago River actually starts far north, in the Skokie lagoons, with various little branches that criss cross Glenview and other northern suburbs. There's a West Fork that bisects downtown Glenview. Sometimes it doesn't have any water in it. The creek that runs through the Wilmette golf course finds its way south to the Chicago River. These streams join and become the North Branch somewhere near the golf courses that border Golf Road in Glenview and Niles.
The river meanders south near Caldwell Avenue in Skokie, winding through... well, more golf courses. Someone with nothing better to do should count the number of golf courses that this river touches.
It finally crosses the Edens about 5600 north, and starts to head east. It crosses more parks, three cemeteries, our community (Albany Park/North Park), and North Park University before it waterfalls into the North Channel near Foster and Albany avenues. There's a park where the little North Branch meets the much larger North Channel, and it's a beautiful place for short hikes. Then the little branch heads south into the big Chicago River that is much better known.
When the Skokie lagoons and the various little streams in Glenview fill, the North Branch looks more like a stream than a creek. But that isn't too often and it still doesn't spill its banks.
But after the record-breaking rains of Friday night and Saturday morning, September 12 and 13, 2008, the various tributaries were full to capacity, sending torrents into the peaceful little stream and causing chaos in the city.
Next part of the story: River Watch Saturday Night
Record-Breaking Chicago Rains -- Chicago River rising
The Chicago River flooded and overflowed into the Albany Park neighborhood of the city of Chicago over the weekend of September 12-14, 2008. This is our personal account of our efforts to deal with and recover from the event now known as the Albany Park flood.
I think I'm still in shock, as I haven't cried yet. I'm trying hard to keep my mind from fixating on loss, but it's tough.
2008 has been a difficult year for us for many reasons. Paul had spinal surgery early in the year, then he was beset with shingles, a miserable and painful disorder, then a "bone contusion" in his foot. He was still having problems with his neck and arm, but I had been feeling that we perhaps had gotten over the worst of it.
But then came Saturday the 13th of September.
Friday the 12th was my birthday. My husband and I hadn't had much of a celebration as he had to work until 8, but he was hoping to get out by 5-6 o'clock on Saturday so we could go out for pizza. I was looking forward to it, as we really needed a "date".
I was sitting in my lovely family room Saturday afternoon watching reports of the destruction of Hurricane Ike, and I was going to meet one of my friends for coffee. Just as I was about to leave, I got an automated call from the city of Chicago: "Please remove your cars from the street as we are going to begin sandbaggging efforts." Sandbagging? I knew it had been raining, but sandbags?
We live near a small branch (the North Branch) of the Chicago River... The river is nothing more than a small picturesque stream as it runs by the bicycle path and the park at the end of the block. It's a beautiful neighborhood, one of the best affordable neighborhoods in the city. Single family homes, parks and trees and the little river give the neighborhood a suburban feel. The neighborhood is vital and ethnically mixed, close to public transportation, and it is safe and quiet. Perfect in so many ways and beautiful.
Our basement is completely finished as a family room/bedroom .... recessed lighting, wall-to-wall carpeting, painted walls, full finished bath. My son (17 when we moved) has his bedroom upstairs, on the main level, and we were downstairs.. plenty of privacy for all of us. When we were househunting three years ago and saw the rehabbed brick home with a finished basement... half a block from that
beautiful little stream..., we knew we were home!
We carefully investigated the flood potential of that little stream, and we were consistently reassured. No, we are not on a flood plain. The inspector thought our sewer and drainage system was excellent. The people who lived on the street, a street of solid brick homes all built 50 years ago, assured us that they had not any flooding. Plus we are higher than the park just a block away... and we are higher than the people who lived on the block south of the river.
Back to Saturday... I looked out the front of our house to the street... It was steadily raining, but there was no evidence of anything amiss. I ran out the back of the house to the alley and down to the river to see what was going on... and my heart sank. I was astonished and terrified to see that the pretty little stream had blown its banks and had crept higher up the embankment than I had ever seen it. I walked over to the bridge and saw that the houses to the south of the river were inundated.
The river had expanded to fill half of the 5000 block of Monticello.
While people were sandbagging, the water was rising faster than the bags could be filled. City tow trucks were pulling out cars that were stuck in the rising waters.
The water was washing up approximately one foot against the home that was closest to the stream on the south side of the river. The bicycle path was submerged on the other side of the bridge and impassable. Only the tops of the park benches poked their heads out of the water.
What I hadn't known was that the rain on Friday night and Saturday morning was the heaviest ever recorded in Chicago. And it had come down fast!
On Saturday afternoon it was still raining; the river was still rising. Where would it stop?
North Branch of the Chicago River: Next part of the Albany Park flood story
(Click on the pictures for the full effect.)
More pictures at Flickr:
Flood pictures at Flickr
Next part of the Albany Park flood story
I think I'm still in shock, as I haven't cried yet. I'm trying hard to keep my mind from fixating on loss, but it's tough.
2008 has been a difficult year for us for many reasons. Paul had spinal surgery early in the year, then he was beset with shingles, a miserable and painful disorder, then a "bone contusion" in his foot. He was still having problems with his neck and arm, but I had been feeling that we perhaps had gotten over the worst of it.
But then came Saturday the 13th of September.
Friday the 12th was my birthday. My husband and I hadn't had much of a celebration as he had to work until 8, but he was hoping to get out by 5-6 o'clock on Saturday so we could go out for pizza. I was looking forward to it, as we really needed a "date".
I was sitting in my lovely family room Saturday afternoon watching reports of the destruction of Hurricane Ike, and I was going to meet one of my friends for coffee. Just as I was about to leave, I got an automated call from the city of Chicago: "Please remove your cars from the street as we are going to begin sandbaggging efforts." Sandbagging? I knew it had been raining, but sandbags?
Our Albany Park / North Park Neighborhood
We live near a small branch (the North Branch) of the Chicago River... The river is nothing more than a small picturesque stream as it runs by the bicycle path and the park at the end of the block. It's a beautiful neighborhood, one of the best affordable neighborhoods in the city. Single family homes, parks and trees and the little river give the neighborhood a suburban feel. The neighborhood is vital and ethnically mixed, close to public transportation, and it is safe and quiet. Perfect in so many ways and beautiful.
Our basement is completely finished as a family room/bedroom .... recessed lighting, wall-to-wall carpeting, painted walls, full finished bath. My son (17 when we moved) has his bedroom upstairs, on the main level, and we were downstairs.. plenty of privacy for all of us. When we were househunting three years ago and saw the rehabbed brick home with a finished basement... half a block from that
beautiful little stream..., we knew we were home!
We carefully investigated the flood potential of that little stream, and we were consistently reassured. No, we are not on a flood plain. The inspector thought our sewer and drainage system was excellent. The people who lived on the street, a street of solid brick homes all built 50 years ago, assured us that they had not any flooding. Plus we are higher than the park just a block away... and we are higher than the people who lived on the block south of the river.
The Albany Park flood begins Saturday afternoon
Back to Saturday... I looked out the front of our house to the street... It was steadily raining, but there was no evidence of anything amiss. I ran out the back of the house to the alley and down to the river to see what was going on... and my heart sank. I was astonished and terrified to see that the pretty little stream had blown its banks and had crept higher up the embankment than I had ever seen it. I walked over to the bridge and saw that the houses to the south of the river were inundated.
The river had expanded to fill half of the 5000 block of Monticello.
While people were sandbagging, the water was rising faster than the bags could be filled. City tow trucks were pulling out cars that were stuck in the rising waters.
The water was washing up approximately one foot against the home that was closest to the stream on the south side of the river. The bicycle path was submerged on the other side of the bridge and impassable. Only the tops of the park benches poked their heads out of the water.
What I hadn't known was that the rain on Friday night and Saturday morning was the heaviest ever recorded in Chicago. And it had come down fast!
On Saturday afternoon it was still raining; the river was still rising. Where would it stop?
North Branch of the Chicago River: Next part of the Albany Park flood story
(Click on the pictures for the full effect.)
More pictures at Flickr:
Flood pictures at Flickr
Next part of the Albany Park flood story
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)