Construction on the Busse Woods Reservoir South Dam Modification project in Elk Grove Village, Ill., is under way, bringing two counties together on a project designed to bring flood relief to more than 1 million people living and working along the Salt Creek watershed in both Cook and DuPage counties.
During a construction commencement ceremony held on Aug. 12, 2015 at the South Dam, Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig B. Johnson introduced key partners: Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle; DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin; General Superintendent of the Forest Preserves of Cook County Arnold Randall and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) President Mariyana Spyropoulos and Vice President Barbara McGowan.
"The district is very pleased to be able to support this project which will provide needed flood relief to Elk Grove Village," Spyropoulos said. "Modifying the existing facility to improve its flood control capabilities will provide the added relief needed to reduce the impacts of flooded roadways and properties. This is a win-win situation because the Forest Preserve and the habitat it supports will also reap benefits."
Flooding from Salt Creek has cost the region millions of dollars in property damage, and disruptions from flooding has caused closures of critical intersections leaving people unable to access their homes, schools and places of work. The planned modification consists of replacing a fixed concrete barrier with a pair of hinged gates. The gates will be used to regulate water levels in the reservoir before and during storm events that affect Salt Creek levels, minimizing the impacts of flooding on nearby roadways and properties.
The project's total cost is $4.6 million. Elk Grove Village is investing $3,384,000 in engineering design, construction, and ecological study costs, the MWRD is providing $1,125,000, and DuPage County provided $100,000.
"Nearly eight years ago, we began work on the Busse Dam Modification project with the lofty goal of bringing flood relief to the residents and businesses of this region," Johnson said. "And now, thanks to the partnership, cooperation and support of numerous federal, state and local agencies, we are mere months away from achieving this goal."
Source: MWRD
