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Ottawa-A City Committed To Sustainable Floodplain Management

Throughout time, rivers have drawn civilization and development to their banks. They provide a natural resource that adds a plethora of assets to an area. Ottawa, Illinois located in north central Illinois, at the confluence of the Fox and Illinois River is no exception. From early Native American settlements, to the famous explorations of LaSalle and Marquette, the area has always been coveted for its location. While developing near rivers provides numerous benefits to a community, the natural function of a river basin can also bring many challenges, especially during flooding conditions. For these reasons, the City of Ottawa has worked diligently in trying to balance the River’s assets in a suitable manner.

Early Warning Flood Threat

Fox River & Illinois River

The City of Ottawa is located at the confluence of the Illinois and Fox River. These are two very large watersheds with considerable drainage areas. Due to the size and the geographical dynamics of these watersheds the City of Ottawa faces many different flooding challenges with both. Depending on storm patterns and precipitation, flooding could be exclusive to one of these basins or could be occurring in both basins simultaneously. River gauges are important tools in predicting and preparing for the extent of a flood. Fortunately, both rivers have gauging stations that can provide this vital information. The two local gauge links are:

Fox River

Illinois River

Ottawa Flood Action Plan

Ottawa Emergency Flood Information

Flood Commission in the News

The Ottawa Flood Committee will update you with the latest flood related news covering the following topics:

Local Flood News
Regional Flood News
State Flood News
Federal Flood News

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The Town that Flood-Proofed Itself

Posted: September 27, 2021

Ottawa, Illinois learned how to keep its residents out of harm’s way. But on the river’s edge, safety has often required sacrifice. Climate change and upstream development made the riverfront town of Ottawa, Illinois even more prone to flooding.Unlike many communities nationwide, it has successfully neutralized the threat by steering development out of floodplains.The town

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You can submerge Ottawa — on your computer, that is

Posted: February 9, 2018

Charles Stanley, [email protected], 815-431-4063 | Mar 16, 2016 Ottawans who want to watch their town get flooded now can do so from their home computers — with no real damage involved. A computer simulation of flooding by the Fox and Illinois rivers that can be controlled by the viewer has been launched by the National

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