Will County emergency agency warns of possible Kankakee River ice jams

The Will County Emergency Management Agency is coordinating with Constellation Energy to open one of three siphons of warm water from the Dresden Energy Center cooling lake to mitigate potential ice jam conditions on the Kankakee River, the agency announced on Wednesday.

The siphon activation is a proactive measure being taken ahead of possible ice jam conditions that will occur beginning on Friday and into the weekend, according to a news release from the Will County EMA.

National Weather Service forecasts indicate that warmer conditions and forecasted rainfall could lead to rapid water rising, thawing of ice, and ice jams on the river, according to the release.

“This is a precautionary measure ahead of possible ice jam conditions,” said Will County EMA Director Allison Anderson. “We’ll be working with the National Weather Service and local partners to monitor conditions and will share updates publicly if we believe that there is an increased chance of flood risks.”

Will County EMA anticipates the warm water siphon to be activated on Thursday morning. Residents are advised to stay off the ice on the Kankakee River due to the potential of rapid thawing, according to the release.

Residents along the river, especially those in low-lying areas, should take precautions and monitor conditions, according to the release.

Ice jams can occur when a rapid thawing on a river leads to a flow of water that becomes obstructed due to a buildup of melted ice. The obstructed ice can then cause flooding to occur as the flow of water becomes obstructed.

For any resident wanting to receive real-time emergency alerts from Will County EMA, please visit www.willcountyema.org/signup.