Pritzker tours Illinois River flooding

May 11-- May 11--Gov. J.B. Pritzker toured flooding along the Illinois River Friday, making a stop to survey the situation on the ground in Meredosia.

The governor issued a disaster proclamation a week ago for the 34 counties impacted by flooding. He said during a press conference on Meredosia's North Levee that the Illinois Emergency Management Agency has "delivered on every request that's been made."

"That's almost a third of the state of Illinois," Pritzker said. "It's been extraordinarily important to me that the state emergency management agency is there for every single county emergency management organization and leader."

Friday marked Pritzker's first visit to river areas in central Illinois currently experiencing flooding, but with flooding in the state an ongoing problem in recent months it wasn't his first visit to towns beset by high water.

"What I saw from the air is significant damage to a number of areas around here," Pritzker said. "This is of course just one of many cities (and) villages that have been affected."

The governor's disaster proclamation included Brown, Cass, Greene, Jersey, Morgan, Pike, Schuyler and Scott counties. The disaster proclamation allowed the state to provide resources in all of the counties experiencing flooding, Pritzker said, including 1.5 million sand bags and assistance from Department of Corrections inmates.

Last week, President Donald Trump tweeted the federal government's support for Illinois, Iowa and Missouri, which have all been hit hard by flooding on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers.

Pritzker said Friday that state and local emergency management agencies are "in pretty good shape," working to keep people safe and to secure infrastructure. He intends to seek federal assistance and help mitigating the expense of recovery, which is expected to take months.

"It's my job, no matter what party the president is from ... it's my job to work with the federal government to do what's necessary for the families across Illinois who are in harm's way," Pritzker said.

Pritzker flew from Grafton to Meredosia to view the Illinois River from the air. After landing in Meredosia, local officials showed him the ground-level impact of the flooding.

Morgan County Emergency Management Director Phil McCarty said several governors have visited during flood disasters in the past.

"I just think it's always important that the leadership sees the battles the locals are doing and that's an important part of the process," McCarty said.

Flood fighting efforts have been underway since late last week in Cass, Morgan and Scott counties, where the Illinois River neared record high-water levels.

McCarty said the river didn't hit the record in the area and he hopes it stays that way.

"There are a lot of records you like to get to, but that's not one of them," he said.

Friday morning, the river had crested at 27.9 feet in Meredosia, according to the National Weather Service. In Beardstown, the river had also reached its crest at 28.8 feet, but was forecast "to have a prolonged crest lasting through the weekend."

One area, known as the Upper Smith Lake Levee, failed where officials expected. McCarty said several hundred acres of farm land are under water, but few homes are in the area, and the water flowing in has slowed.

The levee is privately owned and maintained, McCarty said.

Residents in flood plains need to consider flood insurance and relocating as flood events become more frequent, Pritzker said. But he said the state would work to get federal assistance for those impacted.

"We're certainly going to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency when the time comes to help people who've had their property significantly damaged," he said.

Pritzker said the state owes first responders, road crew and engineers on the front lines of battling flood waters "a debt of gratitude." He added that residents should heed officials' instructions and warnings because "they know what they're talking about."

"Because bad things can happen, even though it seems like it's slow moving," Pritzker said. "We want to make sure everybody's safe; we want to make sure everybody's secure."

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