A comprehensive flood mitigation project that officials say will add 4.5 million gallons of floodwater storage capacity for Crestwood and Midlothian was presented to residents Tuesday evening.
“I know you’re here because there’s been some pain, and we’ve had some chronic flooding,” said Ken Chastain of Farnsworth Group, Crestwood’s engineering consultants.
The project is a collaboration between Crestwood, Midlothian and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.
The project area is bounded by the Midlothian Turnpike, Central Avenue, 147th Street and Lamon Avenue. The Midlothian Country Club sits squarely in the middle.
Recurring flooding in the area has affected homes, a church and major roadways including the Midlothian Turnpike, officials said.
The plan will be carried out in two stages, said Matt Buerger with the Farnsworth Group. It was originally planned as two separate projects that were combined, he said.
Stage one willl improve flow through the creek that runs down the boundary between Midlothian and Crestwood, including a major improvement to the culvert at 143rd Street and Linder Avenue, Buerger said.
“What’s been happening in the current state is, water’s not flowing the way it was originally intended to,” Buerger said. “Over time, water finds a way, and it’s found a way to flow wherever it wants, so we’re trying to redirect that, re-establish those banks, direct the water where we want it to go.”
The second stage will add stormwater retention capacity, targeting two ponds — the North and South Pond and the Long Avenue Pond — as well as a section of the creek.
“We’re going to try to allow even more storage in those ponds, so that that way there’s an area for the water to go,” Buerger said. “Our goal is to put the water into a spot that we designate versus letting it go into the properties.”
In order to carry out the work, about 50 easements will be required, MWRD lawyer Kevin Yim said.
“We’re hopefully going to have this whole experience be very painless and efficient,” Yim said. “We will be reaching out to those property owners in the coming months.”
The easements will be temporary, Yim said.
“We won’t actually be purchasing part of your property,” Yim said. “We’ll just be purchasing rights to access it temporarily.”
There are also some simple acquisitions involved, Yim said, and most of those property owners have already been contacted.
Buerger said the next stage is to acquire permits, including from the Army Corps of Engineers.
Ideally, Buerger said, construction would begin in about a year.
“The goal is get the feedback, we incorporate that into the design,” Buerger said, “So we can be constructing, go into construction this time next year, ideally, with the first phase.”
Buerger said the plan was more than a decade in the making.
“Let’s get some shovels in the ground. Let’s get this thing built,” Buerger said. “We’ve been talking about it for a dozen years now.”
Some residents had reservations.
Crestwood resident Michelle Lee, who lives near the creek, said she hasn’t had problems with flooding and she’s worried the changes might make things worse.
“I don’t think they have enough information,” said Lee. “Are they just moving the problem?”
Other residents expressed concern the Midlothian Country Club, which is central to the project area, was not represented at the meeting. Some residents said the country club contribues to flooding by opening its sluice gate when rain is forecast.
Midlothian Mayor Gary L’Heureux assured residents the MWRD had a track record of successful flood mitigation projects.
“These projects work,” L’Heureux said. “With the easements and with the bank stabilization, not everyone is happy with the end result with the way it looks, but it protects your property from the erosion long term.”
elewis@chicagotribune.com
