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City Continues Regional Stormwater Management Efforts

The City of Highland Park in partnership with Lake County Stormwater Management Commission, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, East Skokie Drainage District, City of Lake Forest, Village of Deerfield and the US Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) is working on a long-term flood mitigation solution following several floods that devastated parts of Highland Park and dozens of communities throughout the region. The mitigation solution would be effective for the residents of Highland Park and other area residents who live along the Skokie and Middle Fork Rivers. The Highland Park City Council approved an agreement with ACOE for a preliminary study related to regional flood mitigation solutions earlier this year. The preliminary study is currently being initiated by ACOE following the approval of participating agencies.

The Skokie and Middle Fork Rivers are under the jurisdiction of ACOE, the Federal agency responsible for waterway-related capital projects, and flows through Lake and Cook Counties. Part of the preliminary study being undertaken by ACOE is to determine if a feasibility study is required that will entail a flood protection solution for all communities along the two rivers. If a final feasibility study is undertaken, the potential solutions could result in a combination of storage basins, retaining walls, pump stations, buy-outs, and other measures. Any structural solution, if implemented in the long-run, cannot adversely impact both downstream and upstream properties. ACOE estimates it will take nine months to complete the preliminary study. ACOE-initiated projects typically take multiple years to plan and study. The construction phase takes anywhere from 7-10 years after initiation of a study.

The City continues to communicate information and alerts regarding flood mitigation via eNews, the website, and social media. The City also communicates alerts received from Lake County Emergency Management Agency and other important agencies through the City's Public Safety Alerts eNews, the City website, and social media (Facebook and Twitter). Residents are encouraged to sign up for the City eNews and Public Safety Alerts eNews at www.cityhpil.com/signup.

Regular updates about the City’s flood mitigation work can be found on the City website at www.cityhpil.com/flooding. This link also includes recommendations and options that residents can pursue on their properties to minimize flooding risks either in a basement or yard. The risk of flooding cannot be completely prevented, especially for those living in the floodplain areas, but in certain circumstances, there are options that can be done to property to help mitigate the flooding and help alleviate some damage.