DuPage County Stormwater Management News & Updates

DuPage County, Illinois sent this bulletin at 04/21/2023 10:45 AM CDT

April 2023                                                                                                                                    View this email in your browser
DuPage County Currents

DuPage County, SCARCE Host Sustainable Design Challenge

SDC Presentation

Students from York Community High School present their model to a panel of judges at the Sustainable Design Challenge.

Students from DuPage County high schools displayed their green building projects to the
public at the 17th annual Sustainable Design Challenge on April 18. Sponsored by DuPage County Stormwater Management (SWM), SCARCE coordinates the event, which
encourages students to construct building and landscape models using environmental and water-friendly design practices. Participating high schools included York Community (Elmhurst), Benet Academy and Chesterton Academy (Lisle), Glenbard East (Lombard), Wheaton Academy (West Chicago), Lake Park (Roselle), Hinsdale South (Darien) and Hinsdale Central (Hinsdale).

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SWM Staff to Begin Annual Outfall Monitoring Next Month

SWM staff will soon begin the annual process of inspecting storm sewer outfalls as required by the IEPA. Staff, with the help of summer interns, will be checking for illegal dumping of substances that shouldn't be running into our waterways. They will inspect every outfall in the East Branch DuPage River Watershed, covering almost a quarter of the County. If you ever see illegal dumping into a sewer or waterway, you can let SWM know using the County Citizen Reporter. Simple, easy to use, and very effective at helping to keep DuPage waterways clean for everyone!

Link to Citizen Reporter

SWM Maintenance Crew Deployed to Hinsdale under Shared Services Program

Shared Service Cleaning

SWM Maintenance Crew members clean a flood gate in Hinsdale to ensure operation during an emergency event.

Through the Department's Shared Services program, the Stormwater Maintenance Crew worked in Hinsdale last week, cleaning 13 flood control gates dispersed throughout the community. This particular neighborhood experiences regular flooding during rain events, so well-maintained floodgates are crucial for their safety.

The Shared Services program allows municipalities and other agencies in DuPage to hire SWM staff for stormwater and water quality-related services. This saves the town and the County money on equipment and personnel costs, and allows County resources to be used to their maximum potential.

Around Town

Stormwater Staff last week paid a visit to Brook Forest Elementary School in Oakbrook to teach classes about the impacts of flooding and stormwater runoff. The students had been learning about erosion and rivers in science class, so staff brought special models that allowed the kids to explore these concepts in real time. This was also the first time staff got to test out their river table, a model recently loaned to SWM from IAFSM in Carbondale, IL. These tables are specially made by Emriver to create incredibly accurate simulations of river systems over time. While a bunch of children pushing sand around makes for unrealistic conditions, the kids got to see up close the difficulty of controlling water during flood events. Staff are very excited to share this powerful model with other groups at future events!

Oakbrook Visit

Civil Engineer Samantha Heatherly and students use a river table to learn about erosion.

Upcoming Events

Naperville Earth Day Fair

Sunday, April 23, 2023, 1:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M.

Sponsored by Naperville Park District and the City of Naperville, this free, family-friendly event will include children’s activities, eco-friendly vendors, and free native seeds and saplings. Attendees will also learn about the benefits of native plantings, discover energy-saving items, view demonstrations, and attend presentations by experts, including SWM. It will be held at Fort Hill Activity Center (20 Fort Hill Drive, Naperville).

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Warrenville Arbor Day Event

Sunday, April 29, 2023, 10:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.

Warrenville's Arbor Day celebration offers residents an opportunity to learn about the correct way to mulch trees, how to maintain their lawn without pesticides, and composting. Vendors, including SWM, will provide educational information regarding native plants, local wildlife, proper recycling techniques, and more. This event will take place at the Warrenville Park District Recreation Center (3S260 Warren Ave.).

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SCARCE Growin' Green Market

Saturday, May 6, 2023, 9:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.

Join SCARCE at their annual Growin’ Green Garden Market. Since 2014, the garden market has been the premier eco-friendly garden fair in DuPage County, featuring several environmentally conscious vendors and activities, including SWM staff discussing water quality-friendly practices and initiatives. Free to the public, it will be held outdoors at 800 South Rohlwing Road (IL Route 53) in Addison.

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DuPage County River Sweep 2023

Saturday, May 20, 2023, 9:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.

Sponsored in part by SWM, The Conservation Foundation's 32nd annual DuPage County River Sweep is a countywide stream cleanup held each spring. Individuals, businesses and other organizations may become involved in this year's River Sweep by serving as a Community Liaison, Group Coordinator or Individual Volunteer. Pre-registration is required to participate in the River Sweep

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