Chicago's Green Stormwater Infrastructure Strategy Aims to Reduce Flooding, Protect the Environment and Strengthen Neighborhoods

May 30, 2014- Water management, specifically for stormwater in Chicagoland, is in the news.

In a press release titled "Mayor Emanuel Unveils First Project To Be Funded Under Green Stormwater Infrastructure Strategy, New Grant Funding from EPA," the City of Chicago and the Department of Water Management (DWM) announced the first round of the Mayor's $50 million groundwater management strategy.

“Without green space to absorb rainfall, Chicago’s sewer system is forced to handle large volumes of stormwater, which often lead to flooding events that can damage homes and disrupt lives,” said Mayor Emanuel. “Incorporating green infrastructure into existing and ongoing capital projects will help to reduce flooding, protect the environment and strengthen our neighborhoods.”

Here are some of the highlights of the City of Chicago's April 26, 2014 presser:

• The Mayor's Green Stormwater Infrastructure Strategy, one of the largest of its kind, is a voluntary investment that has identified ways to incorporate green infrastructure into existing and ongoing capital projects. For 2014, these include four schoolyard projects, five street projects and 30 traffic calming projects.

• The school projects plan to convert asphalt schoolyards into green playgrounds, including rain gardens, bioswales and rainfall-absorbing permeable pavement to help absorb rainfall.

• The five complete street projects involve infiltration planters, tree pits, rainfall-absorbing permeable pavement and bioswale at the following locations: Argyle between Broadway and Sheridan Road; Cottage Grove between 77th and 83rd; Leland between Clark street and the Lakefront; State street between 35th and 55th; and Oak Park Avenue between Irving Park Road and Forest Preserve Drive.

• Two Shoreline Cities grants from the EPA's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative totaling $1 million will fund installation of green infrastructure along Leland Avenue (part of the Leland Avenue Neighborhood Greenway project) and also at a 200,000-sq.-ft. parking lot in Lincoln Park. Both projects include bioswales and infiltration planters.

• The plans are expected to reduce the amount of untreated stormwater entering the combined sewer system overflows into Lake Michigan and also prevent basement flooding in the area. Estimates for the Leland project are a reduction of approximately 868,000 gallons of untreated stormwater into the City’s combined sewer system annually. The redesigned Lincoln Park parking lot will allow for the retention and infiltration of more than four million gallons of water on average per year, according to the press release.

Read the full City of Chicago press release here. The City of Chicago Green Stormwater Infrastructure Strategy is available for download here.

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