On April 19, 2013, the Des Plaines River broke its levees in Lyons — described afterward by a local documentarian as "the worst documented over flooding of the Des Plaines River in Illinois History." Homes and belongings were ruined across Lyons and neighboring Riverside. Salt Creek, the Des Plaines' branch through the village, had already overflowed in heavy rain — Lyons firefighters navigated flooded streets by boat and rescued at least nine people and two dogs, Firehouse reported, quoting Chief Gordon Nord. Lyons is not a town that floods by accident; it floods by geography, where two waterways and a century of levee history meet.
The riverfront pressure hasn't stopped. On July 2, 2023, before 8:30 a.m., runoff mixed with sewage began pouring into the Des Plaines from an MWRD overflow pipe at 40th Street in Lyons — the first documented combined-sewer overflow of that storm. As the reporting noted, "sewage overflows are an indicator that basements are flooding, effectively turning scores of homes into mini stormwater reservoirs." The Lyons Levee on the river's east bank between 49th and 41st Streets has been rebuilt as a county mitigation action, but the village's older riverfront neighborhoods remain squarely in the floodplain. This is a town where water arrives from two directions at once, with a century of levee history behind it — from the Chicago Portage National Historic Site to Hofmann Tower, the 1908 brewer's tower on the Des Plaines that joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. If river water or sewer backup is coming in, call (773) 200-3228 — Rapid Water Damage Restoration Illinois answers 24/7.
Our Lyons Water Damage Services
Water extraction
High-capacity pumping for river-flooded living areas, bungalows, and two-flats — from inches of seepage to deep overbank events.
Sewage cleanup
Extraction, sanitization, and safe disposal of contaminated materials after combined-sewer overflow pressure pushes waste through basement drains — with disinfection of salvageable surfaces.
Structural drying
Monitored dehumidification for early-20th-century wood-frame and masonry construction — plaster, hardwood, brick — verified dry with meters before anything is rebuilt.
Mold remediation
IICRC-standard containment, removal, and treatment for mold behind walls and under flooring — river silt and sewage residue are among the worst mold starters we see.
Storm damage repair
Repairs for flood, runoff, and wind-driven damage to bungalows, cottages, and two-flats — restored to pre-loss condition.
Our Lyons Restoration Process
- Call (773) 200-3228 — 24/7. River events move fast. Tell us your street; near the Des Plaines or Salt Creek, we mobilize with the floodplain in mind.
- Determine what's in the water. River overbank, Salt Creek backwater, combined-sewer overflow, or a burst line — contamination level sets the entire cleanup protocol.
- Extract and contain. Standing water out fast; river and sewage events get full containment, protective equipment, and disinfection.
- Silt removal and moisture mapping. River floods leave silt behind — we clear it, then meter every material to find hidden moisture in wall cavities and subfloors.
- Sanitize and treat for mold. Contaminated materials are removed and surfaces disinfected before mold establishes; river-silt residue demands aggressive treatment.
- Restore and document. Finishes rebuilt to pre-loss condition, with the photo and moisture-log file your adjuster needs.
Common Causes of Water Damage in Lyons
- Des Plaines River overbank flooding. The river runs through Lyons, and riverfront neighborhoods sit in its floodplain — the April 2013 levee breaks are the documented worst case, not the only case.
- Salt Creek overflow and backwater. Salt Creek joins the Des Plaines near Lyons; when the main river runs high, the creek can't drain into it — so both rise together against the same neighborhoods.
- Combined-sewer overflow pressure. The July 2023 40th Street overflow is the visible symptom: during heavy rain, MWRD combined-sewer pressure discharges into the river — and pushes sewage into basement drains upstream.
- Early-20th-century plumbing and shallow services. Bungalows, workers' cottages, and two-flats from the early 1900s carry aging galvanized and copper runs, uninsulated crawlspaces, and shallow service lines — the high-risk profile for frozen and burst supply lines.
- Ice-jam and cold-water river risk. Late-winter ice jams on the Des Plaines can dam and release flood surges, while extended cold bursts the area's older cast-iron water mains.
Areas We Serve in Lyons
We serve all of Lyons in ZIP 60534: the riverfront and Ogden Avenue corridor, the Barry Point Road riverfront near Hofmann Tower, the blocks east of the Des Plaines levee between 41st and 49th Streets, and the neighborhood near Cermak Plaza on the Berwyn/Cicero border. Our crews run from Village Hall at 7801 Ogden Ave. via Ogden Avenue, Harlem Avenue, and 47th Street.
Cost Factors & Insurance Claim Help
No flat quotes — every Lyons loss is scoped on water category (river overbank and CSO pressure mean contamination protocols), square footage and materials, how long they stayed wet, and whether silt removal adds to the job. Lyons' documented flood history — the 2013 levee-break flood, the 2023 40th Street overflow, the rebuilt Lyons Levee — helps establish cause with your adjuster. We review your coverage, including sewer-backup and any flood-related endorsements, up front, document everything, and work directly with your insurance company from first call to final walkthrough.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in Lyons during the April 2013 flood?
The Des Plaines River over-flooded with levees breaking — called "the worst documented over flooding of the Des Plaines River in Illinois History" — ruining many homes and belongings in Lyons and neighboring Riverside. Salt Creek had already overflowed, and Lyons firefighters rescued at least nine people and two dogs by boat from flooded streets. It remains the benchmark every Lyons flood is measured against: if your home survived 2013, the levees worked; if it didn't, you know what the river can do.
What is the Lyons Levee, and does it protect my street?
The Lyons Levee runs along the east side of the Des Plaines River between 49th and 41st Streets, and it was rebuilt as a completed Cook County mitigation action. It protects the east-bank neighborhoods inside its reach — but levees redirect water as much as they hold it, and homes outside the leveed reach, or on the wrong side of Salt Creek, face the river unmediated. Levee protection is partial protection; your flood risk depends on your exact address, not the zip code.
What was the July 2023 sewage overflow at 40th Street?
Before 8:30 a.m. on July 2, 2023, runoff mixed with sewage began pouring into the Des Plaines River from an MWRD overflow pipe at 40th Street in Lyons — the first documented combined-sewer overflow of that storm. As the reporting put it, "sewage overflows are an indicator that basements are flooding, effectively turning scores of homes into mini stormwater reservoirs." Translation: if you live near 40th Street, a river CSO event means your basement drains are under the same pressure that's discharging into the river.
Why does Salt Creek joining the Des Plaines near Lyons double the flood risk?
Because the creek and the river flood each other. Salt Creek joins the Des Plaines near Lyons/Brookfield; when the Des Plaines runs high, Salt Creek can't drain into it, so creek water backs up while river water rises — the same neighborhoods take pressure from both directions at once. Add the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal and the historic I&M Canal corridor in the same stretch, and Lyons is a place where four waterways share one floodplain.
What does the Chicago Portage have to do with flooding in Lyons?
Everything, historically. The Chicago Portage National Historic Site honors the Joliet–Marquette portage between the Chicago and Des Plaines Rivers — a low divide where Native Americans and voyageurs carried canoes between watersheds. That low point is why Lyons sits where it sits: it's naturally flat, low ground between two river systems, which is exactly why it was a portage and exactly why it floods. Your basement is wet for the same geographic reason the portage existed.
Lyons Flood Emergency? Call (773) 200-3228 — 24/7
River flooding, Salt Creek overflow, sewer backup, or a burst pipe anywhere in 60534 — Rapid Water Damage Restoration Illinois answers around the clock in Lyons. Call (773) 200-3228 now.
Rapid Water Damage Restoration Illinois is a locally owned Illinois water damage restoration company, available 24/7 for emergencies. Our IICRC-trained technicians handle water extraction, structural drying, mold remediation, and sewage cleanup — and we work directly with your insurance company from first call to final walkthrough. Call (773) 200-3228 anytime, day or night.
Water Damage in Lyons? We Respond 24/7
Every minute counts. Rapid Water Damage Restoration Illinois dispatches certified technicians across Lyons day and night — with insurance documentation handled for you.
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Helpful Water Damage Guides
Official resources: FEMA FloodSmart (flood insurance) and EPA guide to mold and moisture.