River expected to crest today

Riverview Estates resident John Wiebenga gestures toward the creeping river in his backyard Monday morning. (Alex T. Paschal/SVN)

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The unseasonably warm weather that has melted snow and pelted the area with rain also has caused the Rock River to jump its banks in several spots.

In Como, west of Rock Falls, water has risen anywhere from 15 to 50 feet beyond the banks, but only a little has crept into residents' backyards.

The river is expected to crest at 10.3 feet - above the 10-foot flood stage - around noon today. Shortly after, the flood warning issued by the National Weather Service is set to expire.

Not everything has melted - there's a layer of ice near the open current, and "it's very dangerous to walk [near the bank]," said John Wiebenga, 77, of Riverside Estates, also west of Rock Falls. "It's slippery. You've got to be careful."

"We've never had it this bad [in the winter]," Wiebenga said. "If the river can get open down there, then the water will go back in."

The Rock also flooded farmland and covered part of state Route 78 between Lyndon and Prophetstown.

In Lee County, rising water led to some road closures over the weekend, as officials kept tabs on the river.

"If the ice backs up, it can jam and lead to flooding," said Kevin Lally, Lee County Emergency Services Agency coordinator. "An ice jam would lead to quick flooding, so you need to be aware. If you live along the river, you need to keep an eye on it."

The challenge is, you can never be sure about where the ice will jam, said Jim Wetzell, Whiteside County's emergency services director.

"It's just doing what it always does," Wetzell said. "We're more worried about runoff."

Reporter Sarah Owen contributed to this article.