UPDATE: Sandbags Available for Algonquin Residents

UPDATED 4 p.m., April 18:

Public Works employees continue making sandbags and have gotten help from the Salvation Army Civil Air Patrol and Algonquin Explorers.

Sandbags will be available for residents at the following locations:

• Hubbard Street and Oceola Drive
• Rattray Drive and Beach Drive
• Rattray Drive and Filip Road
• Center Street and Willow Street
• LaFox River Drive at Cornish Park
• Riverfront Park

The McHenry County Emergency Management Agency shared some tips form the Army Corps of Engineers on how to use sandbags to prevent flooding:

Sandbag placement

• Remove debris from areas
• Place bags lengthwise and parallel to direction of flow with the open facing upstream
• Fill low spots first, start at the downstream end and 1 foot inland from river.
• Place succeeding bags tightly against and partially overlapping the previous one
• Offset adjacent rows by one half-bag length.

Safety tips when sandbagging

• Use proper lifting techniques
• Use work gloves and avoid contact with eyes
• Wear adequate layered clothing and wear boots
• Wear something with reflective material for night work

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Original story

A steady rain fell Wednesday night, adding to concerns over flooding threats along the Fox River.

Public Works employee Jim Komfeind and his coworkers gathered around a semi-truck filled with sand working to fill sandbags for Algonquin residents living in the floodplain.

Eight hundred sandbags were distributed within a few hours, Komfeind said. Crews were working throughout the night to make more sandbags to distribute at the Algonquin Wastewater Treatment Facility, 125 Wilbrandt Street.

Komfeind estimates 10,000 sandbags were made for the 2007 flooding in the village. So far, 2,000 sandbags have been made available to residents this week.

The Fox River in Algonquin was at 10.21 feet Wednesday and is expected to rise this week.

A National Weather Service Flood Warning is in effect until Thursday evening.