KANKAKEE–MOMENCE, Illinois — Officials are warning residents to stay off the Kankakee River after the Will County Emergency Management Agency announced Friday afternoon that the warm water siphon from the Dresden Cooling Lake has been activated to manage dangerous river ice conditions.
The siphon was turned on Friday, January 30, as subzero air temperatures move into northern Illinois, increasing the risk of unstable ice. The system is designed to open channels in the river, allowing ice to move downstream instead of piling up. While effective for flood mitigation, officials stress that it also makes river ice highly unpredictable, capable of melting, shifting, or breaking apart with little to no warning.
Residents are specifically urged to avoid the Kankakee River from Interstate 55 downstream to the Illinois River, where sudden ice movement could pose a serious risk to anyone on or near the riverbanks. This warning comes as a Flood Advisory remains in effect for the Kankakee River near Momence, where fluctuating water levels and ice jams continue to be monitored.
Emergency managers emphasize that cold weather does not mean ice is safe. In fact, the combination of extreme cold, active ice management, and changing river flow can create deceptive conditions where ice appears solid but is structurally weakened underneath.
Travelers along I-55 and nearby roadways may also notice increased emergency and monitoring activity near river crossings. While no roadway closures are currently in place, conditions could change quickly if ice jams shift or water levels rise.
Officials urge the public to keep children and pets away from the river, respect barricades and warning signs, and continue following updates from local emergency management and the National Weather Service. With dangerous cold settling in, authorities say this is a situation where extra caution can prevent serious injury or worse.
