| 6/11/2010 7:44:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | Rockford suffers under deluge
Jeannie Gregory
Editor
Rockford made national news by suffering under record rains on Memorial Day. Depending on where the rain gauges were located, the Rockford and Belmont area counted anywhere from 4.7 to 6 inches of rain within the time span of under two hours.
There were many casualties in the area, of particular note are House Street and Frederik Meijer White Pine Trail. Also on the list was the City of Rockford's water system and the American Legion Post 102's Memorial Day Parade.
The water came fast and furious on Monday and filled streets, leaked through roofs and flooded basements.
Residents of the City of Rockford woke up Tuesday morning to a boiling water edict that ran until the water was cleared by the Department of Natural Resources & Environment (DNRE) for consumption. The electrical storms interrupted the communication at the Rockford Water Plant and the tanks failed.
"A lightning strike took out the communication link between the water towers and the plant," City Manager Michael Young informed residents. "When the tanks began to run low, call-out alarms did not function due to the electrical failures. As a result, we suspect air entered portions of the system which prompted us to issue the notice."
Following protocol, the City issued a 48-hour boil water notice for the city's water customers.
"The City is issuing this notice as a precautionary measure as we take water samples throughtout the distribution system," Young informed City residents.
The boil water notice also affected city restaurants who had to follow the boil water notice for the safety of their customers. Those restaurants that sell frappes and espressos had to cease selling those products until the boil water notice was lifted.
On Wednesday, according to Young, "I am happy to report that the first set of water samples came back completely clean and free of any bacteria. The DNRE requires two sample periods before lifting the boil water notice."
Thursday dawned with another clear sample and the notice was lifted.
It will take quite a bit longer for the damaged section of White Pine Trail to be fixed.
According to Dave Heyboer, Chairman of the Friends of White Pine Trail, the damage was extensive. In a letter he sent to members of his organization he wrote:
"I am sad to say that the massive flows of water from Monday's storms did extensive damage to the Fred Meijer White Pine trail in the area between Rockford and Belmont. There are three washouts and a major mudslide that is completely blocking the trail. A whole section of a hill slid down and covered the trail. One of the washouts is very extensive and caused a section of the trail to drop into a newly created gorge. The washout has undercut the trail and created a very unstable foundation."
He continued, "Due to the degree of damage that section of the trail is closed and I expect it will probably be closed for an extended period of time. Heavy equipment and lots of dirt will have to be brought in to repair the destruction. I encourage all of you to stay away from that section of the trail. You can still use the trail by starting at Belmont and going south or starting at Rockford and going north. The section that was damaged is unstable and dangerous and should be avoided completely."
Also a victim was the 7000 block of Childsdale Avenue and House Street where the road buckled and sank due to the torrential downpour. The scene looked like something out of a disaster movie as giant pieces of concrete moved and shimmied under the onslaught of water. Unfortunately, the road was the only way in and out for the neighborhood. The Kent County Road Commission came to the rescue just two hours after the event and had the road shored up and passable again by approximately 9 p.m. that same night.
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