Marriott Resort in Lincolnshire evacuating due to rising Des Plaines River

Rising Des Plaines River levels prompted the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort to evacuate guests and employees as a precaution Friday in just one of the responses to heavy rains that hit the Northern suburbs overnight.

By noon Friday, the river was at 14 feet in Lincolnshire - that's considered moderate flood level, according to the National Weather Service. But the river is projected to rise to 16 feet - major flood level - between Saturday and Sunday.

Despite the loss of revenue for the Marriott and the town, Mayor Elizabeth Brandt supported the decision to clear out the resort.

"You'd rather have people out of the hotel before Saturday," Brandt said. "If there's good news out of the situation, it's that we have time to prepare and it's not a dire emergency. They can take their time, get organized, and prepare for when it gets to the 16-foot level this weekend."

The Marriott Theatre canceled its Friday and Saturday performances of "Something Rotten!" as well. Ticketholders can call the box office at (847) 634-0200 starting Monday to reschedule.

The expansive Marriott property is on the western bank of the river, south of Half Day Road. Guests and workers last had to flee the resort in July 2017 after floodwaters from the river and Indian Creek surrounded the resort and knocked out power and phone service.

The resort issued a statement Friday night emphasizing that the property has not flooded.

"Due to the rain and rising Des Plaines River, the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort took safety precautionary measures and successfully evacuated all guests and staff from the property," the statement reads. "At this time the resort has not flooded and is not at risk for flooding due to the proactive steps taken by the resort's management team. Management continues to work with the proper authorities to ensure a safe and secure environment and will reopen once management and local authorities authorize the reopening."

Lincolnshire received more than 5 inches of rain over the last two days. During the past five days, some Lake County towns recorded between 5 inches and 7 inches of rain - and the water caused havoc.

Stretches of roads in Lincolnshire, Gurnee, Grayslake, the Deerfield area, Waukegan and Wadsworth were among those closed to traffic Friday due to water on the pavement. They included usually busy sections of Lake-Cook Road, Route 120, Route 137 and Route 132.

Updated road conditions are available at lakecountypassage.com.

People had to be rescued from several Waukegan houses due to flooding, ABC 7 Chicago reported.

No-wake orders - watercraft must keep speeds low in an effort to protect shoreline soil from erosion - were issued for Island Lake and on Wauconda's Bangs Lake, where the rising surface level was more than 10 inches higher than usual.

The entire Fox River near Lake and McHenry counties was closed to boaters Friday, the Fox Waterway Agency reported, and no-wake orders were issued for all the lakes in the Chain O' Lakes.

Although river levels were expected to exceed flood stage in a few spots, severe flooding along the Fox wasn't expected, waterway agency Executive Director Joe Keller said.

"The good news is, the seven-day forecast looks good," Keller said. "Hopefully we can ride this one out."

Far to the south in Kane County, the lower level of the Fox River Trail in Batavia flooded and was closed.

A flood warning was issued for the Des Plaines River from Gurnee to Irving Park Road in Chicago.

The river could experience major flooding this weekend, the National Weather Service is reporting.

Riverwoods officials are making free sand and sandbags available at village hall, 300 Portwine Road, for residents who live along the Des Plaines River. Riverwoods police are compiling a list of volunteers who would be available to deliver and place filled sandbags. To help, email police@villageofriverwoods.com.

Further south in Cook County, Des Plaines hadn't experienced any flooding near the waterway as of Friday afternoon.

But Des Plaines police Sgt. Mike Holdman sounded anxious about what the next few days might bring. "Everything travels south," he said.