PROPERTY PROTECTION LaSalle County (Unincorporated) MEASURES FLOOD HAZARD AREAS Flood If your property is susceptible to flooding, Information there are many flood damage reduction LaSalle County has three major rivers flowing through it. Flooding occurs along all of these major measures you can employ. rivers as well as many of their tributaries. The •Apply watertight seals to protect your major rivers in LaSalle County include: the Fox FLOOD SAFETY building against low level flooding. River, Illinois River, and Vermilion River. Some of The following common sense guidelines can help you the tributaries having mapped floodways in LaSalle from the dangers of flooding: •Elevate utilities such as heating and air County are: First Creek, Clark’s Run Creek, Goose conditioning systems, water heaters and Creek, Rat Run Creek, Prairie Creek, Coal Run Creek, •Do not drive through a flooded area. More people other major appliances to elevations above and the Illinois & Michigan Canal. drown in cars than any where else. Do not drive around barriers. the flooding threat. Other waterways having substantial amounts of •Do not walk through flowing water. Currents can be •Move furniture and other valuables to floodplain acreage along their banks in LaSalle deceptive. Six inches of water can knock you off your higher floors. County include: Indian Creek, Little Indian Creek, Somonauk Creek, Little Vermilion River, and Covel feet. •Elevate or relocate the structure out of the Creek to name a few. •Stay away from power lines and electrical wires. If flood hazard area. Flash-flooding is the general type of flooding your house is about to be flooded, turn off the power at the service box. Electrical current can travel occurring along LaSalle County waterways. Typically nd on the smaller local streams, flooding will occur and through water. Electrocution is the 2 leading cause FLOODPLAIN PERMIT recede rapidly after heavy rainfall events. While in of death during floods. the larger watersheds, the rivers will come up •Be alert to gas leaks. Turn off the gas to your house REQUIREMENTS slower and recede slower than in the smaller before it floods. If you smell gas, report it to a Village You must obtain a permit for development stream watersheds. These larger river systems are official or your gas company. Do not use candles, largely effected by land use and weather conditions activities located in the 100 year floodplain. lanterns or open flames if you smell gas or are unsure and events taking place over a much larger if your gas has been shut off. Application must be made prior to doing any geographical area. work in a floodplain area. The LaSalle •Keep children away from the flood waters, ditches, County Environmental Services Department Information on whether your property is in the 100- culverts and storm drains. Flood waters can carry issues these permits for the unincorporated year floodplain can be obtained by coming into the unimaginable items that have dislodged themselves. LaSalle County Environmental Services and Land areas of the County. Please contact this Culverts may suck smaller people into them rendering Use Department to view floodplain maps. These them helpless. Department to receive information required maps are available to look at as well as other flood- to properly develop in the floodplain or to related information. LaSalle County also has •Clean everything that has been wet. Flood water will inquire about other development activities elevation certificates for recent development be contaminated with sewage and other chemicals occurring in floodplain areas. occurring in floodplains in the unincorporated areas which pose severe health threats. LaSalle County Environmental Services Dept. of the County. For further information, the LaSalle •Look out for animals, especially snakes. Small County Environmental Services and Land Use 119 W. Madison Street-Room 107 animals that have been flooded out of their home may Department can be contacted at (815) 434-8666. seek shelter in yours. Ottawa, Illinois 815-434-8666 •Do not use gas engines, such as generators, or charcoal fires indoors during power outages. Carbon monoxide exhaust can pose serious health hazards. SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT/DAMAGE NATURAL & BENEFICIAL FLOOD WARNING SYSTEM The NFIP requires that if the cost of FUNCTIONS Many times flooding along the Illinois River, Fox improvements to a building or the cost to repair River, and Vermillion River can be predicted days damages (from any cause) to a building exceeds Floodplains play a valuable role in providing in advance, giving ample warning for preparation 50% of the market value of the building natural and beneficial functions in LaSalle County. and evacuation. However, in the event of a flash (excluding land value), the entire building must Floodplains that are relatively undisturbed flood due a large rain event, you may be the first be brought up to current floodplain management provide a wide range of benefits to both human to notice the oncoming situation and have only standards. Building improvement projects and natural ecosystems. Floodplains are unique hours to execute your plan. Notify the LaSalle include exterior and interior remodeling, ecosystems that buffer and provide the transition County Emergency Management Office and/or the LaSalle County Sheriffs Department will help rehabilitation, additions and repair and between land and water. These areas help to reconstruction projects. Additionally, the cost of initiate flooding preparation and procedure. It is filter run-off from various land uses, which in turn also recommended to tune into local radio and TV currently planned improvements will be added to helps to maintain bio-diversity and ecosystem the cost of previously made improvements and stations to hear updates and to stay abreast of sustainability, both locally and downstream. compared to the existing market value to flooding locations and conditions within the area. determine if the improvements exceed 50% of Floodplains contain historic and archeological the structure’s value. Please contact the LaSalle sites that provide opportunity for education and WHAT IS A FLOODPLAIN? County Environmental Services and Land Use study. Floodplains enhance waterfowl, fish and A floodplain is an area with water and ground surface Department at (815) 434-8666 for further other wildlife habitats and provide feeding/ elevations at or below the base flood or the 100-year information. breeding grounds. And lastly, floodplains provide frequency flood elevation. Floodplains may also include natural erosion control and open space to prevent detached special flood hazard areas, ponding areas, etc. FLOOD INSURANCE The floodplain is also known as the special flood hazard further flooding damage. area (SFHA). The floodplains are those lands within the If you do not have flood insurance, talk to your jurisdiction of the county that are subject to inundation insurance agent. Most homeowner’s insurance DRAINAGE SYSTEM by the base flood or 100-year frequency flood. policies do not cover damage from floods. Flood insurance is only available to those participating MAINTENANCE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION communities in the National Flood Insurance As simple as it may sound, simply keeping smaller If you should require further information regarding Program (NFIP). Because of our floodplain ditches and streams free of debris can flood-related issues in LaSalle County, check out management programs that attempt to protect dramatically improve the run-off capacity of low- these additional sources: us from the multiple flooding hazards, LaSalle lying areas, as well as greatly reduce the County is part of the NFIP and thus, residents are  LaSalle County Environmental Services able to obtain flood insurance. Additionally, occurrence of blockage that significantly 815-434-8666 because LaSalle County participates in FEMA’s contributes to flooding. It is illegal to dump • LaSalle County Emergency Management Agency CRS program, flood insurance premiums are materials into a required waterway and violators 815-433-5622 may be fined. If you see someone in the act of discounted.  FEMA www.fema.gov dumping or see debris in one of our Be sure to check your policy to ensure you have • Floodsmart www.floodsmart.gov adequate coverage. Usually these policies cover watercourses, please contact the Environmental the building structure, but not the contents. Services Department at (815) 434-8666. • Floodplain Maps Contents coverage can also be obtained by LaSalle County Env Serv. Dept. (hard copy) asking. There is a 30-day waiting period before FEMA GeoPlatform (online) flood insurance coverage becomes effective. Plan fema.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html ahead; do not wait until a flood is predicted before purchasing flood insurance.