Background: What Has Been Done
Managing stormwater is essential in preventing home flooding, sanitary and sewer system overflow, infrastructure damage, habitat destruction, and ravine erosion. You may not see it, but the Village maintains about 24 miles of storm sewer systems including manholes, culverts, and catch basins that help direct stormwater safely away from these valuable resources.Lake Bluff’s public infrastructure is designed and built to accommodate a moderate storm within the storm sewers (pipes). As the intensity of the storm increases, by design, more water flows on streets and over land until it reaches a waterway or a storm sewer with more capacity. The ultimate design goal of modern infrastructure is to prevent property damage in the 100-year storm. However, our changing climate means that the intensity of the 100-year storm is increasing. Infrastructure that was adequate when it was built is no longer enough to move all the water that falls in the strongest storm events in our area.
Lake Bluff has spent over a million dollars in the last three years to resolve neighborhood issues and increase capacity in the stormwater system in order to mitigate the damaging effects that stormwater can cause. These projects include:
- Lincoln Ave Storm Sewer Improvement
- West Sheridan Place Storm Sewer Expansion
- Forest Cove/Moffett Ravine Stabilization Project
- Moffett Road culvert rebuilding
- Invested in a new computer stormwater modeling system
- Design of drainage improvement on Green Bay Road (south of Route 176)
Identified Stormwater Needs
The Village recently (2019-2020) concluded a Stormwater Management Master Plan provides a complete picture of stormwater challenges in our community, including:- Areas of the Village that are most susceptible to flooding
- Costs and benefits of potential drainage improvement projects
- A long-term planning process for capital improvement projects
- A comprehensive model of drainage systems for future management.
The Master Plan is based on numerous data sources including past stormwater studies; a field survey of existing sewer systems; over 300 responses from residents regarding their experiences with flooding; and computer-generated hydrologic and hydraulic models.
Click here to view the Master Plan.
How We Will Meet These Needs
Today, the Village spends a portion of its capital budget each year to construct priority stormwater projects. These are funded from the Village’s general revenue sources, including the Village’s sales tax and property tax. Just under one-third of the Village’s annual budget is invested in capital improvements projects. However, these funds have been inadequate to pursue major projects. Based on the 2019-2020 Stormwater Master Plan, these flooding problems would cost over $20 million to resolve.The Village is looking at different ways to increase the speed that projects are funded and built, including:
- Economic Development. The Village’s current level of investment has been enabled by its past land use decisions, such as the recruitment of automobile dealerships and major retailers that generate strong sales tax revenues. Continued economic growth and redevelopment can create additional resources that can be directed to stormwater and other capital improvements.
- Federal, State, and County Grants are outside funding sources. However, these funds are limited and the competition for the resources is fierce as many communities confront similar problems. The application process can be rigorous and take months or years to complete.
- A Stormwater Utility Fee. Stormwater is the only major infrastructure system in Chicagoland that is not typically paid for through user fees. The Village is reviewing options for a stormwater utility fee that would raise funds for stormwater projects throughout Village based on the amount of impervious area on the property (rather than a property tax, which is based on value). The impervious area is directly related to the amount of stormwater runoff contributing to the storm sewer system and is measured in ERUs, or “equivalent residential units;” one unit represents the typical amount of impervious surface on a single-family dwelling.
What You Can Do
We can never completely eliminate the risk of flooding. There are additional opportunities that you have to further reduce the risk of flooding that damages your property:Green Infrastructure
Green Infrastructure has been used over the last 20 years by many communities throughout our region to better manage stormwater sustainably. Green infrastructure techniques include using vegetation to control stormwater, restoring wetlands to retain floodwater, installing permeable pavement to mimic natural hydrology, and using or capturing and reusing stormwater more efficiently on site.
By attempting to mimic natural hydrologic functions, such as infiltration and evaporation, these approaches use attractive natural features to prevent stormwater from flowing into surface waters or storm sewer systems already under great stress. Green infrastructure is typically used to compliment or assist traditional stormwater management practices. Although green infrastructure practices cannot singlehandedly mitigate the flooding during extreme storm events, they provide a reduction in stormwater runoff volumes during routine events and improve water quality. Lake County publishes a list of Green Infrastructure Best Practices for homeowners and businesses.
Floodproofing - Around Your Home
- Direct downspouts away from structures. Downspouts that outlet near a structure allow stormwater to infiltrate and collect against the foundation, resulting in seepage and/or additional strain on the sump pump. Directing downspouts away from the structure is a simple flood-proofing measure to help reduce the amount of water against the foundation.
- Look at terrain and grading. Small drains in your yard can’t handle large storms. Grades should direct most water away from you and your neighbors’ homes and toward the street. Some homeowners don’t realize that they are causing water problems for their neighbors by directing downspouts and sump pumps toward their property line. Cooperating with your neighbors to grade common lot lines would fix many runoff problems in our Village.
Floodproofing - Inside Your Home
- Fortify your foundation. If grading doesn’t solve the problem, you can install French drains, seal foundation cracks, and waterproof basement walls. These techniques may help prevent water from entering your basement.
- Soup up your sump pump. Make sure your sump pump has enough capacity to move water away from your home. Your sump pump needs a source of backup power, whether from a battery or a generator, in case there’s a power outage during severe weather. Make sure you check and test your backup power supply regularly.
- Raising window wells or other low entry points increases the level of flood protection around a home by blocking overland flood access into the structure.
Additional flood proofing measures and area-specific details can be found in the “Guide to Flood Protection in Northeastern Illinois” published by The Illinois Association for Floodplain and Stormwater Management.
Stormwater Pollution Elimination (NPDES MS4 Permit)
The same network of storm sewers that takes water away from property can also carry pollutants into our streams, creeks, ravines, and Lake Michigan. The Village participates in the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) which has regulated sources of water pollution since the enactment of the Clean Water Act in 1972.Call the Village's Stormwater Hotline at 847-234-2153 to report any suspicious discharges to the storm sewer system or a body of water.
To learn more about the impact that stormwater discharge may have, take a look at these resources:
- After the Storm
- Rivers and Streams Begin at your Front Door
- Storm Sewers – Rivers Beneath our Feet
- Fertilization
- Going Native
- Lawn Watering
- Managing Your Household Chemicals
- Pet Waste and Water Quality
- Rethinking Yard Care
The Village is required to obtain a NPDES permit for its Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) and, as a condition of this permit, must complete and implement a Stormwater Management Program Plan as well as periodic inspections and reports. The most recent copies of these documents are available here for public inspection:
