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Although it’s the impression a lot of people have, it’s not accurate to say Ottawa’s east side is completely cut off during high water. Residents are allowed in and out on Main St., and they weren’t rushing to go anywhere Monday night when police set up the checkpoint.

The Main St. bridge will reopen when the water goes down far enough again. The city closes it during very high water in the unlikely event the pressure from the swollen Fox River will be too much for it to withstand. Only in that situation would the residents be stuck. They’d have to wait until Green St. reopened to enter and leave the east side.

For now, a fire truck and an ambulance are stationed in the parking lot on the west side of Ottawa High School. So if there is an emergency, there’ll be no delay for help arriving.

Green St. closed Sunday when water crossed it. That’s enough for Ottawa High School to close, since Main St. is the only other way in and out of the area. But with the high school closed anyway and students learning from home because of the shutdowns ordered during the coronavirus pandemic, students won’t get time off for flood days. At a school board meeting Monday night (held just before the bridge closure), Supt. Mike Cushing said Tuesday would be their last learning day. But instead of returning books and laptop computers this week, they’ll do it next week.

Water getting high under the Main St. Fox River bridge in Ottawa

Green St. went under water Sunday.

A fire truck and an ambulance are stationed at Ottawa High School.

The barricade and sign warn people they can’t just pass through the east side right now.

A police officer makes sure the person who wants in actually lives on the east side.

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