FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  Jason Gerwig
630/407-6022
August 22, 2007

STORMWATER DIVISION’S HARD WORK HELPS COUNTY AVOID DAMAGING FLOODS

WHEATON — With rain forecast to continue throughout the week and into the weekend, DuPage County’s Stormwater Division will continue working around the clock in order to ensure rising water is directed into quarries and reservoirs located throughout the County, thereby reducing the flooding problems that have occurred in other communities.  

This work, notes Stormwater Chairman Jim Zay, is part of the County’s comprehensive plan to ensure flooding is held in check during heavy rains, and is the result of the intergovernmental cooperation between the County and municipalities throughout DuPage.

“The County’s Stormwater Division has worked tirelessly to help reduce the risk of damaging floods throughout the County, and I commend our staff for their outstanding work,” said Zay.  “For the past ten years, we have worked with local leaders throughout the County to ensure that the flooding problems that plagued DuPage in the past were addressed and rectified.  That work is evident today as rising waters are steered away from homeowners.”

As of Tuesday morning, the Wood Dale-Itasca reservoir, the Addison Dam, the pump on Salt Creek and the Fawell Dam on the West Branch remain in operation.  Stream levels on the West Branch have peaked at Warrenville.  Salt Creek has also peaked in both the upper and lower portions of the watershed. 

The preliminary estimate is that 800-900 acre-feet of water have been diverted into the facility thus far.  This is the second largest diversion — second only to the February 1998 event — since Stormwater’s facilities went online.  The Addison Dam and pump station is projected to operate throughout all of Tuesday.

Zay also notes that the Lower Salt peaked at the diversion point for the Elmhurst Quarry so that facility did not go into operation.

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