It's hard to describe the devastation unleashed upon the people of Machesney Park. Sure, we can drive by and see it, but until our homes are filled with water and mud we can't really feel their pain. So last week when the river started creeping up again most of us probably didn't even notice, but you better believe the people cleaning their homes along Shore Drive were watching the river with dread. Jay Dewey a homeowner on the river says, "What's frustrating is the water hit us about an inch and that's what came up inside the house...it came up through the basement. It's too bad, but that's all it took. Wrecked every piece of carpeting and in the last two years it was all brand new." The river also ruined much of his drywall, it stained his newly finished deck, turned his grassy yard to mud, and to top it all off there is still water seeping into his basement. But Jay says he's lucky because many of his neighbors were hit so hard they can no longer live in their houses. Machesney Park has set some guidelines for victims. District 5 Trustee Mark Sorrentino had this to say, "We do need to have people have their homes examined...especially if they've had their electricity or gas shut off. They shouldn't turn it on themselves, they should have it inspected and done properly to ensure safety." The flooding started over six weeks ago. The river should have gone down much quicker, but heavy rain this month has kept it high. For Jay Dewey and many others the dry spells of autumn can't come soon enough. Despite the trouble the Rock River has given him, Jim Dewey says he enjoys his house and his neighbors too much to move.