The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) announced that one of its new stormwater management projects has won a top local engineering award.
The district’s Buffalo Creek Reservoir expansion project, which helps protect downstream Buffalo Grove residents from flooding while providing enhanced trails and natural spaces, received the 2022 Sustainability in Civil Engineering Achievement Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers Illinois Section (ASCE-IL). The award honored both MWRD and consultant engineers from Hey and Associates.
Through a collaborative process, and in partnership with the Village of Buffalo Grove, the MWRD design combined a new trail system and seven new boardwalks, enhanced the preserve’s natural features, and added a 180-acre-foot expansion of the reservoir’s volume, accounting for nearly 60 million gallons in additional storage.
MWRD estimates that 107 structures are now protected from various flood recurrence intervals and over 2,000 structures along Buffalo Creek and the main stem of the Des Plaines River are receiving some form of flood reduction benefit, thanks to the work of Lake County Grading Company which constructed this project in just over 2 years.
“As we adapt to a changing climate and intense rainfall, it is encouraging to have the support of project partners and the recognition from the ASCE Illinois Section to promote sustainable planning and engineering projects that protect and improve our communities,” says MWRD Commissioner Kimberly Du Buclet. “From reclaiming water, recovering resources, and designing stormwater management projects and policies, we strive to incorporate sustainability in all aspects of our work.”
Public access improvements include the addition of 1.7 miles of trails, new pedestrian boardwalks, raised trails, two scenic overlooks, and an expanded parking lot to accommodate 30 additional parking spaces.
