NUTWOOD - Nutwood resident Chandra Eckert had a descriptive way to describe recent sounds of heavy winds in the small Jersey community that broke apart a levee as: “explosions with waves coming over the north end of the levee and beating it to death.”
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A man-made levee with multiple bulldozers, plastic, sandbags, and volunteers, breached on the north end of Nutwood around 5:20 p.m. Monday. The breach poured water into Nutwood and one woman reported 29 inches of water in the main floor of her house. Others reported a similar experience.
Eckert said she thought without the waves, the levee would have held. The levee was built to 44 feet and was separate from the regular Nutwood Levee that spans multiple miles. The break on Monday was at the north end of town toward Illinois Route 16 where grain bins are visible.
Bawanas, a popular bar with a Fieldon address, remained open Tuesday. Owner Stephen Wilson said people removed refrigerators and as many other valuable items they could as quickly as they could when the levee breach occurred.
“Everybody is exhausted mentally and physically,” he said. “I don’t know exactly how many weeks this has been going on, but several. It has been very difficult for the community. The winds just ate away at the levee on the north end of Nutwood. Right now there is only one way in and out of Nutwood on an old blacktop road from Fieldon. Our business misses a lot of motorcycle riders and others who visit during the summer. It has been tough.”
Doug and Nadeen Gress are now going to live with their daughter in Brighton until things settle down in Nutwood.
Nadeen said there was a lot more water in the house in 1993. Doug Gress said the downstairs drywall and floors will have to be redone once again.
“The waves just ate away the levee that was built,” Nadeen said.
Michael Morgan of Jersey’s Emergency Management Agency said he has been impressed by how the Nutwood people have handled the onslaught of water and issues. He said the main priority for his organization now is everyone’s safety.
“After this phase, we will focus on answering people’s questions and continuing to help,” he said.
