Farm Trace Storm Sewer Bypass and Detention Basin
Richton Park, IL
The Farm Trace subdivision experienced significant flooding in 2008 due to inadequately sized storm sewers and detention ponds. Not only was there damage to nearly 130 residential properties, but public health and safety also became a serious concern. The Village of Richton Park contracted Clark Dietz in 2007 to investigate and design solutions for the flooding problem. An initial design was created, permitted, and bid when it was discovered that an adjacent municipality had an existing 12-inch water main within Richton Park right-of-way that conflicted with the designed bypass storm sewer.
Additional stormwater detention was required prior to relocating the adjacent municipality’s water main before being allowed to move the project forward towards construction. A Richton Park owned property was chosen for the new detention location, which required U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps) permitting due to existing wetlands. While waiting for approval, and with the help of Clark Dietz, Richton Park was awarded an IKE Disaster Recovery Grant in the amount of $750,000 for construction of the project. Approval from the Army Corps could not be obtained prior to the expiration of grant funding. To resolve the issue, a grant extension was received and a new property was identified that did not require wetland permitting. The corner of Steger Road and Central Park Avenue was selected and a redesign of the project began.
The Farm Trace Bypass Storm Sewer and Detention Basin redirects the 153 acres of offsite flow, around the Farm Trace neighborhood, east along Steger Road to a new detention basin at the northwest corner of Steger Road and Central Park Avenue. The detention facility discharges to a 36-inch storm sewer at Central Park Avenue and helps alleviate flows being discharged downstream into the adjacent municipality’s storm sewer system. The bypass of the offsite area stormwater that enters Farm Trace is comprised of an open channel ditch at the upstream of the Farm Trace neighborhood, a 60-inch reinforced concrete pipe (RCP), 48-inch by 76-inch elliptical RCP segment, and a new detention area downstream at the northwest corner of Steger Road and Central Park Avenue.
Clark Dietz’s long term relationship with Richton Park allowed us to provide a design solution that met their needs while completing construction on time. Since project completion, the new bypass and detention basin have been tested by significant rainfalls, and no flooding has occurred in the Farm Trace subdivision. Stormwater flows downstream to the adjacent municipality have also been reduced.
– ACEC WI 2014 Engineering Excellence Award in Water & Stormwater
– APWA IL 2014 Award
