Josh Cozart, KHQA
Portions of western Illinois remain under floodwaters from the Illinois river.
The good news, river levels are starting to recede, but the impacts are likely to be felt for a long time to come.
The water started getting high two to three weeks ago. I mean it's been higher than normal for most of the spring," said Nick York, a local farmer.
Illinois Representative Darin LaHood saw the flooding impacts along the Illinois River first hand Monday, May 13th.
This is the third year in a row that we have had flooding like this, and the importance of rising these levees is what I heard today," said LaHood.
LaHood's efforts are all in part to make Washington understand what locals are dealing with each spring.
Changes to the levees are needed.
Instead of letting a bureaucrat in Washington D.C. make a decision on not raising these levees, we need to have local people here making those decisions. People here in Morgan, Scott, Pike County. The farmers here are who we need to listen to," said LaHood.
The levees themselves, the heights have an authorization elevations so you really can't go above that unless you get that authorization changed," said Michael Rodgers, Area U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
If changes are made, it not only impacts farmers, but the coast of crops.
Unfortunately, the more money we spend pumping water, the taxes are going to have to go up," said York.
While actions seem to be in place now, only time will tell.
