The water is rising again all along the Rock River and in Machesney Park it's once again creeping up into people's backyards. Along shore drive in Machesney Park, houses sit unsold, several lots lie vacant, and most yards are filled with mud. Last year's devastating floods have left their mark on the community, but not everyone has given up on the neighborhood.

"We're building here because we're next to the river and we've always wanted to have a place next to the river. We just don't want the river too close to us." says Lorna Cobb, who owns a home on Shore Drive.

Robert and Lorna Cobb have decided that Machesney Park is a nice place and they want to be a part of it. They bought a house in January 2008, but it was ruined by last year's floods. So they razed it to the ground and built another in it's place, seven and a half feet higher.

"We expect that there's going to be periodic floods, but at the same time we'll be high and dry and safe and warm" adds Lorna.

Right now the Rock River in Machesney Park is only a half foot below flood stage, and heavy rains on Tuesday are expected to push it up another foot and a half by Friday evening. This is expected to cause moderate flooding, but the Cobbs say they'll be high and dry and willing to offer any flooded neighbors a place to stay.

"If Mario and Angela need to move in in order to get out, we'll be open."

Maybe it's this friendly neighborhood spirit that stops people from moving away. Flooding is not isolated to homes bordering the river. High ground water levels are turning the backyards of some houses across the street into stagnant ponds.

Residents looking for sandbags can find them at Michaelson's office furniture. The sandbagging operation is open twenty-four hours a day, however residents must make their own bags.