Use Caution: Standing Water Reported on Area Roads

With a flood advisory in effect through 2 p.m. today, standing water is being reported on several area roads in McHenry County. 

Rain coupled with warming temperatures and melting snow has caused the flooding, according to the National Weather Service.

Two rural roadways in McHenry County are currently closed because of water in the roadway: Kunde Road between Millstream and North Union and Timberline Drive between Pleasant Hill and Emory, according to a McHenry County Sheriff's Office press release. And several more roads currently have standing water. 

"Do not underestimate the power of flood waters. Only a few inches of rapidly flowing water can quickly carry away your vehicle," according to the National Weather Service flood advisory statement for several area counties, including McHenry County.

Several roadways in unincorporated McHenry County had standing water and police are asking motorists to use caution while driving today, according to a McHenry County Sheriff's Office press release.

The sheriff's office provided the following list of roadways with standing water as of noon Monday:  

• Rt 23/ Busse 
• Rt 23/ Coral 
• Rt 23/ Bunker Hill 
• Rt 23/ Pleasant Grove 
• Rt 23/ Poplar 
• Rt 23/ Streit 
• Rt 23 between Dunham and Kishwaukee Valley 
• Rt 20/ Thorne 
• Rt 20/ Johnson 
• Thorne/ River 
• Rt 14/ Hartland 
• Rt 14/ Deepcut 
• Rt 14/ S. Ridgefield 
• Rt 14/ Stateline 
• Rt 31/ Pioneer 
• Rt 12/ Ami Ln. (Spring Grove) 
• Rt 176/ Dean 
• Rt 176/ Union 
• Rt176/ Buhl 
• 4000 Block Sunnyside 
• Oak Grove/ Ramer Rd 
• Seeman at the Railroad Tracks (Hebron) 
• W. Wonder Lake/ Thompson 
• Pleasant Valley/ McCue 
• Sands/ Wyndwood 
• Bay/ Cuhlman 
• Dunham/ O’Cock 
• Charles/ Nelson 
• The McHenry County Sheriff's Office gives thef following driving safety tips regarding standing water: 
• Don't ignore barricades by driving past them when road is closed. 
• Take extra precautions if you're forced to drive through water. If no alternate route exists and you have no other reasonable alternative but to drive through standing water. 
• Do your best to estimate the depth of the water (if other cars are driving through, take note of how deep the water is). 
• Drive slowly and steadily through the water. 
• Avoid driving in water that downed electrical or power lines have fallen in — electric current passes through water. 
• If you have driven through water up to the wheel rims or higher, test your brakes on a clear patch of road at low speed. If they are wet and not stopping the vehicle as they should, dry them by pressing gently on the brake pedal with your left foot while maintaining speed with your right foot. 
• Do not be a distracted driver, stay off the telephone. 
• If you become trapped in your vehicle in water, call 911 for assistance.