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Flooding Overview

Flood Information Brochure
100 Year Flood Defined	Flood Services (coming soon - please check back)
Agency Websites	Flood Maps
Building in the Floodplain-Floodway	Floodproofing
Community Rating System	After a Flood
Elevation Certificates	Real Time Flood Information
Flood Insurance	Definitions
Flood Safety	Myths and Facts of Flood Insurance
Floodplain Ordinance	Revalidated Letters of Map Change (LOMC)

 Flood Information Brochure

There are four main sources of flood hazard in Wheeling; the Des Plaines River, Buffalo Creek (Wheeling Drainage Ditch), McDonald Creek and the William Rogers Memorial Diversion Channel. Each of these sources has its own floodway and floodplain. Flooding in these locations has typically occurred in the spring or the fall.

When flooding cannot be prevented, the Village takes several steps to reduce the flood's impact. Before a project is constructed, Village Staff works with the developer to ensure that the proposed project minimizes the impact to adjacent properties. A new project must meet the guidelines established in the Village Code, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC), and other regulations established at the state and federal levels.

The Village participates in the voluntary auditing Community Rating System (CRS) program sponsored by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The CRS program is used to assure our residents that the Village meets or exceeds the minimum requirements of the NFIP; which entitles a discounted annual Flood Insurance rates for the residents.

All development within the floodplain requires a Floodplain Development Permit. This is a separate permit from the Building and Construction Permit. Please visit our Building in the Floodplain page to find out if a permit is required.

The Engineering Division within Community Development Department maintains current FEMA maps (Link to FEMA maps by address) and assists residents, contractors, realtors and engineers in determining whether a piece of property lies within a floodplain or not. Please contact the Engineering Division at (847) 459-2620 for assistance regarding floodplain information.

Click Here to find out if a flood is approaching the Village of Wheeling.