The Will County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) and City of Wilmington officials responded to Flash Flooding in downtown Wilmington on the evening of January 25. The flooding occurred suddenly on the North and South Islands due to rapidly increasing water levels on the Kankakee River.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Flash Flood Warning for Southwestern Will County, with an elevated risk of flooding along the Kankakee River. The Will County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is anticipating an imminent break-up of the Kankakee River ice jam, which will create increased flood conditions from the City of Wilmington to the Phalen Acres community.

The Will County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) has coordinated with Constellation Energy to activate all three siphons of warm water from the Dresden Energy Center cooling lake to accelerate the melting of ice on the Kankakee River. This decision follows a declaration of emergency by County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant due to the historic flood levels and ice jams along the Kankakee River.

The City of Wilmington and the Will County Emergency Management Agency are advising residents of potential flash flood conditions due to ongoing ice jams on the Kankakee River. A Flash Flood Watch is in effect until temperatures rise above freezing and the river ice has fully melted.

The Will County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is advising residents along the Kankakee River of flash flood conditions throughout the week due to ice jams on the river. Flash Flooding has been occurring in unincorporated Will County along the river since the morning of January 15.