Multiple rounds of heavy rain fell between July 2 and July 4, leading to flash flooding in streets and rising river levels across the greater Chicago region, with some municipalities reporting 8 to 10 inches of rain over the 48-hour period. According to the MWRD, its two largest Deep Tunnel reservoirs are nearly at capacity.

The massive system of tunnels and reservoirs was built to contain Chicago’s flood water. After more than 8 inches of rain over the past 30 days, the system is nearing capacity.

The MWRD is managing flow from this past weekend's storms

We know that many residents across our communities have experienced significant flooding during these recent waves of heavy rain. These weather events have been challenging, and our thoughts are with all who are dealing with the impacts.

The Metropolitan water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago has captured billions of gallons of stormwater that have fallen across Cook County during multiple waves of storms. According to the National weather Service, the latest storm event had rainfall amounts up to three inches.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) has captured billions of gallons of stormwater that have fallen across Cook County during multiple waves of storms. According to the National Weather Service, the latest storm event had rainfall amounts that ranged from approx. 3 inches at O’Hare International Airport, approx 2 inches at Midway International Airport, and nearly 2.5 inches in southern Cook County.