Des Plaines Flood Management

The Des Plaines River, which runs through Des Plaines, IL, has been known to wreak havoc for both residents and tourists alike, especially when there is intense rain activity. Residents incur damage on their properties, and there are certain roadways that are notorious for closing after heavy rainfall. Despite the flooding and road closures, the city has implemented several engineering measures to predict and control flooding in the area.

In 2003, the City of Des Plaines started construction on the Levee 50 project. This project included a pump station with seven 10-foot square gates built along Busse Highway and flood walls along the Des Plaines River banks. Levee 50 mitigates flooding in the city of Des Plaines by preventing excess rainfall runoff in the Des Plaines River from flowing back up the creek, which causes the flooding. When the water level of the Des Plaines River reaches a certain elevation, the gates in the pump station close and work to pump the excess water back into the river.

The pump station at the Levee 50 project.

The stormwater detention center at Prairie Lakes Park.

The city also designed and constructed a major stormwater detention center at Prairie Lakes Park to serve the area. In addition to specific projects aimed at controlling the stormwater runoff, the city has strict stormwater compensation ordinances in place for construction in the area. Terra has been involved in several projects in Des Plaines, including the design of a condo building built on stilts to account for the floodplain.

Flooding in Des Plaines, IL.

Although the city actively attempted to control flooding in the area, recent technologies emerged that allowed for more accurate floodplain mapping and prediction. Unfortunately, these updates meant that a few areas that had been previously mapped and assessed received an increased risk prediction.  

The city and surrounding affected areas worked with the Army Corp of Engineers on a larger-scale solution to comprehensively address the river basin’s flooding issue. Part of the proposed solution was to clear high-risk residential flood areas and return them to undeveloped lands. Buyouts were even offered to property owners around the high-risk areas; the idea was to give residents a chance to escape the issue. However, the reception to the offers was both positive and negative. It can be hard to come to an agreement on such serious matters.

The flood mitigation plan for the Des Plaines River was very complex, and the Terra team thought it was an interesting project to follow.