August 9, 2023
Wildwood Stormwater Infrastructure Improvement Work Has Started
At the edge of Valley Lake in unincorporated Wildwood, the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission (SMC), Warren Township Highway Commission, Wildwood Park District, state legislators and Lake County Board Members gathered today to mark the beginning of construction on the Wildwood Infrastructure Improvement project. The work will reduce the flood risk of more than 210 property owners and alleviate the volume of stormwater runoff across several roadways which frequently flood and are closed during severe weather.
The work to be completed consists of the construction of a secondary storm sewer extending from the Greentree Road/Winnebago Drive intersection and discharging into the drainage way adjacent to the Meadowbrook Estates Subdivision, in addition to a new storm sewer between Manitowoc Court and Royal Oak Lane. The combined efforts of flood relief and water quality improvements make this project incredibly valuable to the people of this community.
Improvements also include enhancing the sediment basin to prevent pollutants from entering Valley Lake, protecting its ecological health. Porous pavements will also be added to aid in managing stormwater runoff by allowing water to flow through it, reducing the volume of water going into the storm sewer system, minimizing the risk of flooding.
“In the year following the 2017 historic flooding event, we worked with the SMC team and the Road District’s consulting engineer to come up with a solution to address flooding in our area,” said Amy Sarver, Warren Township Highway Commissioner. “Our next problem was how to fund the project which fortunately was solved when the DCEO funding was made available.”
This flood protection will significantly reduce the flood impact during larger events within the Wildwood and the Willows of Grayslake subdivisions.
“The impact of this project will not only be felt by this community for years to come, but also by our neighbors downstream along the Des Plaines River. Thanks to the efforts and collaboration between our state legislators, Warren Township Highway Department, Wildwood Park District, SMC, and the Lake County Board, today that solution becomes a reality as the construction begins on this project,” said Sandy Hart, Lake County Board Chair.
“The Wildwood community in unincorporated Warren Township has been routinely impacted by increasing rain levels in our area. This project Includes the design and construction of storm sewer system upgrades and drainage system enhancements, as well as water quality improvements,” said Stormwater Management Commission Executive Director Kurt Woolford. “The Wildwood Area Stormwater Infrastructure Improvements Project is in Warren Township, but the scope of this work and its benefits is far reaching.”
This project is supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SLT 3381 awarded to the State of Illinois by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Additional funding was provided by the Warren Township Highway Commission and Wildwood Park District. This is one of several projects SMC is currently overseeing in partnership with local governments to make the most of available funding to problem-solve flood mitigation issues countywide.
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