Flash Flooding and Hail in Illinois, June 5 to 6, 2001

Flooding was reported across the county during the period. The Little Wabash River went out of its banks, blocking several local roads east of Stewardson, as well as 3 miles southeast of Strasburg. Along US Highway 51, near Mowequa, water covered the road for several hours. A motorist drove into water up to his door handles. Illinois Route 128, west of Findlay was severely flooded during the overnight hours, and the highway was closed for part of Wednesday morning 6 miles north of Shelbyville at a railroad viaduct. In Shelbyville, basement flooding was reported along with the closure of Illinois Route 16 due to flood waters. A culvert was washed out on county road 1800 E, around 3 miles south of Shelbyville. County road 700 N, between Illinois Route 32 and Neoga were closed due to flooding as well. A Findlay observer reported over 3.5 inches of rain. A SWOP observer in Lakewood, reported flooding on county road 1300 E, two and a half miles south of county road 750 N as a result of a local creek going out of its banks. This same observer reported over an inch of rain falling in just 12 minutes. Rescue crews were called out twice during the event for motorists trapped in vehicles. No injuries were reported.

Large tree blown down over road.

Illinois Route 49 from Hunt City to Yale was closed with 3 to 4 feet of water over the roadway. Numerous roads were flooded around the area, with some other closures. Reports of basement flooding were also received. Illinois Routes 49, 33, and 130, between Hidalgo and Newton, and the blacktop between Illinois Route 130 and Illinois Route 49 were reported flooded during the evening.

Water was reported over the roadway at the intersection of US Route 45 and Illinois Route 121.

Water was reported over US Route 40, near Martinsville.

Numerous rural roads and highways were reported flooding during the event. Illinois Route 1, north of Trimble, Illinois Route 33 between Willow Hill and the Fairview Drive-in and Illinois Route 1A between Trimble and Robinson were all reported as flooded. Signs were put up in the area to warn motorists, but the roads were not closed. Water was reported over the Yale Spur in the Bellair area.

Water was reported over roads across the county. Moccasin Road, around Effingham, was under water. US Route 45 north of Effingham and US Route 40 between Montrose and Teutopolis were under water.

Street flooding was reported in Flora, as well as water over many rural roads near Hord.

The Fox River went out of its banks during the event, roughly 1 mile north of Olney, resulting in water across portions of Illinois Route 130.

Illinois Route 29, 4 miles north of Sparland, was closed when water was "radiator deep on a car".

A local creek that runs through Bluffs went over its banks. A few cars were reported to have been flooded. Illinois Route 100 as well as Naples Lane, west of Bluffs, were closed due to flooding. Numerous basements were flooded in the area of the creek, along with the local water and sewer plant receiving flooding. A portion of the Glasgow blacktop and Illinois Route 267 at Manchester were closed for a period of time due to Sandy Creek exceeding its levee. A housing complex in the county (location unknown) reported having 12 cars in its parking lot flooded. Illinois Route 106, just south of Winchester, was reported to have 8 to 12 inches of water over the roadway.

Water was reported over many roads in Waverly. Flooding was also occurring in and around Jacksonville, including US Route 67, south of Jacksonville. Mauvaiseterre Creek, east of Jacksonville, went over its banks, resulting in the closure of a few local roads. Water was also reported over Illinois Route 104, near Pisgah and Illinois Route 267, near Murrayville.

Pekin reported several roads/bridges that crossed a local drainage ditch closed due to flooding. A few adjacent city roads were also closed due to high water.

Flooding was reported in Ashland as a result of a tributary creek of the Little Indian Creek going over its banks due to heavy rain. Numerous roads were reported closed in town, with some basement flooding noted. Illinois Route 125 was open to traffic. No evacuations were needed.

Flooding was reported on most of the roads across the county. Road closures were reported on County Road 4, two miles west of Mowequa (near the Christian/Shelbyville county line) and County Road 23 two miles north of Edinberg. Langleyville Road and Jim Daley Road were also closed during the overnight hours. A motorist was rescued around 515 AM CDT after driving through flood waters up to the floorboard of the vehicle.

Reports of water over many county roads were received. Flooding was reported in Boody on Illinois Route 48, between Harvey City and Dalton City on County Highway 49 and on Illinois Route 121. More than a dozen basements were also flooded in Decatur.

Brush Creek, which flows along the west side of Divernon, went out of its banks, resulting in widespread flooding and nearly 30 homes being evacuated around 2 AM CDT. Several people had to be rescued from their homes as the flood waters quickly filled in the natural flood plain of the creek, flooding numerous basements on the east side of town and entire homes on the west side of town, where water was reported to be as high as windows in a few locations. Railroad tracks in the area were washed out. No injuries or fatalities were reported. North and southbound Interstate 55 were closed for several hours south of the Illinois Route 104 junction, near Divernon, as a result of 18 to 24 inches of water over the highway. By 830 AM CDT, no additional flooding was reported. However, flood waters persisted in and around Divernon through 11 AM CDT. Flooding was also reported in Pawnee. Damage was estimated around $500,000.