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NUTWOOD - Devastated is an emotion that describes how those feel who live or have a property in the Nutwood Levee District or live in neighboring Calhoun County after Tuesday's Nutwood Levee breach.
One was Rick Deverger, chairman of the Nutwood Levee District, who also farms about 1,500 acres of land in the valley. He estimated 10,000 acres of land would ultimately be flooded because of the breach. He also said the area is close-knit and those who farm or have had home damage will bounce back and have faith they will recover.
“It will be totally full,” he said of the end result of the Nutwood Levee breach to the croplands. “It is pretty hard; I farm 1,500 acres in the valley with my son and that is gone. There is nothing we can do now but try to get the water out later.”
The Joe Page Bridge in Hardin has been shut down because of the flooding and now Deverger describes Calhoun County as "like an island." The Nutwood Levee District rests in Jersey County.
“People can hardly get in and out of Calhoun County now,” Deverger said. “Most of those who live in Calhoun County work out of the county and now are in dire straights. A lot of them have moved to the other side of the river in campers or trailers or family members for the duration of this water. It could easily be three or four months to get the water out.”
Deverger said probably 150,000 to 200,000 sandbags are now lost with the levee break.
“The next big thing will be getting the water out and the levee repaired before next year’s planting season,” he said.
Illinois State Police District 18 Lt. Interim Commander Mark Gillock said he was at the end of the Joe Page Bridge in Hardin as the water started to rise prior to closing.
“I was at the end of the bridge and watched the water come up,” he said. “We had a meeting at 9 a.m. and then the water touched the edge of the roadway within minutes and then breached the roadway. We stayed ahead of it and walked out of the IDOT barricade.”
