TOWNER - McHenry County Sheriff Marvin Sola has issued a no-travel advisory for all secondary roads in the county due to extensive flooding.

Sola said all the major highways in the county are still clear, and motorists should stick to them for the time being, even if it adds quite a bit of time to their journey. He noted that as of Wednesday afternoon, there was some water running over the top of the road from Granville to Upham, but he thought it would be safe for travel later in the day.

The secondary roads are extremely dangerous to use not only because they are submerged, but because all that rushing water has done extensive damage that will have to be repaired by road crews whenever the water finally recedes.

"They're gone, they're cut through," Sola said. "If there's any water around there, a creek or anything, they're gone."

Sola said any road with water running across it should be avoided, even if there aren't any barricades blocking access. He said the county has just about run out of signs and they have resorted to using crime scene tape to block access.

"People just really have to take it easy," Sola said. "If there's water, they have to turn around and go another way."

Dan Feldner