17-Jun-15 – The Riverwalk was back in business less than 24 hours after heavy rain flooded newly opened sections.

Some of the heaviest rain on Monday was north of the Loop, with 2.56 inches measured at O’Hare International Airport. On the Riverwalk west of State Street, most of the pathways were under water. By morning, what wasn’t underwater was muddy or covered with trash from the river. The new sections were closed while workers cleaned and inspected. By afternoon, all of Marina Plaza, west of State Street, and most of River Theater, east of LaSalle Street, were open and by evening, The Cove, located between the two, had opened. (Left) The walkway through The Cove is submerged Monday evening, only the parts on higher ground escaping the Chicago River. Photo by Iker Gil.

(Above) On Tuesday morning, a muddy passageway under the Wabash Avenue Bridge. Photo by Jim Philips.

The Chicago Department of Transportation is anticipating occasional flooding of the Riverwalk. Spokesperson Mike Claffey referred to an interview published last October by Chicago magazine with landscape architect Gina Ford, who said they are expecting flooding every year.

“We detailed all of the landscape features to be incredibly resilient, from paving material choices…using a rugged pre-cast [concrete], to avoid it having issues with floods,” said Ford (right), a principal at Sasaki Associates. “Knowing where to put all our electrical equipment, all the stuff that’s needed to power the rooms and the vendors, keeping them out of flood elevation. We just designed to make sure it would be resilient and easy to clean up after, easy to operate.”

While City Winery, east of Dearborn Street, was open on Tuesday afternoon, Flander’s Belgian Beer and Fries was not, but manager Dan Reynolds was philosophical.

“I feel for the people whose homes got water instead of me not being open for a Tuesday lunch.”