Flood - Meeting of May 23rd - COD Continues Its Approach

On May 14th our association contacted Mr. Clayton Heffter, Stormwater Permitting Manager, DuPage County Dept. of Economic Development and Planning and requested an onsite meeting to review the recent flooding, the lakes and walk the property line of the college and discuss the situation at the south end of COD's Pond #7 and Wheaton's Lake #4. A series of correspondences ensued and the meeting grew in scope.

On May 23rd a meeting occurred which included representatives of the County of DuPage, City of  Wheaton, Community College of DuPage, Briarcliffe Lakes Manor Homes, the Foxcroft Association and neighbors on Brentwood Lane and to the south.

The meeting was coordinated by the County. In response to my request to clarify the purpose of the expanded meeting, Clayton Heffter stated "My involvement is to help facilitate a meeting with all the different interested parties and offer the County’s expertise and guidance. Additionally, I’ll be able to address some of your questions related to COD development over the years and how they’ve met the requirements of the Stormwater Ordinance, and help answer general stormwater and flood related questions."

A number of individuals were present. Here is a partial list. Clayton Heffter for the County, George Schober of V3 of Illinois an engineering consultant for COD, Bruce Schmeidl for COD, Paul Redman Wheaton's Director of Engineering, Dave Grill property manager for BLMH, the president of the Foxcroft association, a neighbor who has volunteered to coordinate communications with those living on Brentwood Lane and to the south, several others from the college and from the City of Wheaton and myself. I apologize because not everyone is listed.

The meeting commenced on BLMH property at the southernmost end of Wheaton's Lake #3, walked the length of the college property line and the berm erected by the college as part of its new Pond #9, walked part of the berm separating the College's Pond #7 from Lake #4, inspected the weir on that berm, and then walked or drove to the southern shore of Lake #4 and Pond #7.

Core Issue - Overtopping of Lakes #3, #4, Pond 7 and Flooding
The meeting began with a brief description of the overtopping of Lake #3 and flow from COD's campus which joined at BLMH's property line and then formed a fast flowing stream to the south and Pond #7/ Lake #4.

I made a brief statement that everyone who is present is aware that the issue involves the 1.5 square mile watershed which included portions of Wheaton, Glen Ellyn and the Community College of DuPage. We would tour the bottom of that watershed, which is where the runoff of these storms has to go.

I made the appeal to all present that each of the parties agree to actively participate and cooperate in a larger study that will include Wheaton, the Community College of DuPage and Glen Ellyn. I stated that we were dismayed by the recent flooding and that for the first time in the 35 year history of BLMH we experienced a situation in which about 48 residents were threatened by the largest flood stream ever to occur on our property.  Our association discussed sandbagging contingencies at our most recent association meeting and we have NEVER had to do that before.

What has changed for BLMH? In the past, overtopping of Lake #3 would naturally flow south and southeast, fill the 5 acres of soccer fields and then continue on to Pond #7. Today, because of changes in the topography of the campus and recent construction including parking lots, the CMC building and the regrading as part of the Pond #9 flood water now flows westerly from the campus and onto our property. That is a change and this never occurred before.

During the April 23rd meeting I presented a 5-page document with photos of the flood situation on the college campus in September 2008 and the retention/detention of the soccer fields north of the "B.J. Hoddinott Wildlife Sanctuary" which includes Pond #7. Photos of the sandbagging of the south berm of Pond 7 were included.

The document included comparison photos of the same areas taken on [April] 18, 2013. I asked if everyone had seen the videos, in particular the 4-1/2 minute composite. I had a laptop with me if that were necessary. Mr. Schmeidl suggested everyone had and wanted to move this along.

Mr. Schober stated again that most of the water was "bypass flow" and would not answer my question about how it is that the college constructed a berm that was to "shield" our association and which now traps outflow from the college on our property? That question was not answered. Schmeidl stated that the college is a "good neighbor" and expressed that for part of the morning of the 18th a portion of the campus was closed and that some equipment rooms had experienced flooding.

We continued south and viewed pond #9. I asked where and how much water was being conveyed from other portions of the campus and into the pond. There was no reply to that question.

We continued south to Pond #7 and Lake #4. It was suggested that we see the weir and walk the berm and then continue to the south shore. Schmeidl objected but we persisted and did so.

After walking to the weir separating Pond #7 from Lake #4 we then continued around the lake and re-convened on the south shore. We continued to discuss the situation, describe the events depicted in the photos given to Schmeidl and others, and then continued to the south shore of Pond #7 and college property. This is where the initial overtopping began, and flooding occurred with the overtopping of Pond #7 and Lake #4 south berms.

The discussions included proper berm maintenance, discussions of berm conditions, and so on.

Wheaton Will Proceed Alone With Step 1 of a Study
Redman stated that Wheaton has agreed to begin the process of a study. The College of DuPage has not, to my knowledge, agreed to cooperate or actively participate. There was no statement of acceptance of participation or a willingness to participate and cooperate in a joint study by Schmeidl or Schober. In other words, Wheaton for the present will have to go it alone, as it did in 1997.

Redman stated that Lakes #3 and #4 are part of a "City Managed System."

Step 1 is to lay the ground work for the study. It will take time and money. The Wheaton City Council will have to approve the funding for a study and has not yet done so. The numbers are not yet in.

To be successful a study will have to include the larger areas. At present, part of the water collected in the college flows into pond #9. It is joined by other water flow from other areas of the college. It all collects in Pond #7 and then flows into Wheaton's lake #4 and from there it will flow via Wheaton's storm sewers into larger depositories to the south.

There is no outflow from the south western portion of the college campus except via overtopping the berms of CODs pond #7 or into Wheaton's Lake #4.

What Would a Good Neighbor Do?
Schmeidl, the representative of COD stated that the college is a "good neighbor."

Good neighbors don't push the problems downhill. During the meeting, Schober said that the pond #7 area was not part of the College. It was quickly pointed out that to our knowledge that is untrue and in fact, his firm had engineered in 2012 a storm sewer from the area of Pond #9 to the wetlands and into Pond #7.

Good neighbors recognize their involvement and responsibilities and do something to help others.

Telling us that the problem was "bypass flows" which in other words is attempting to state that "the water is from upstream and is simply flowing around the college" ignores the fact that there is significant rainfall on the campus and most of it must flow from the campus to elsewhere. A significant amount does flow into Pond #7 and Lake #4.

It was stated at the opening of the meeting that we, the neighbors, are concerned with the apparent inadequacy of Lake #3, Lake #4 and Pond #7. In addition, there is simply insufficient storm sewer capacity to properly drain these large bodies of water. It all seems to flow into Lake #4 and that's what causes the flooding.

Schober made the observation that there is a 36 inch connection from Lake #3 into the campus and to a detention pond to the east. No one present could confirm that. Schober stated that this connection probably allowed water to flow from Lake #3 and into COD's pond during events such as occurred in 2013. However, it is also possible that connection allows water to flow from the campus and into Wheaton's Lake #3. Or, if water flows from Lake #3 to one of COD's ponds, it is also possible for it to continue from that pond only to be returned to Pond #9 and from there to Pond #7.

What is the Position of the Community College of DuPage?
Reading between the lines of the statements and explanations provided by Schober, it is apparent that the college has taken the position that the problem is due to "bypass flows" and the unusual circumstances of the 18th were a consequences of peak rainfalls and saturated soils. However, that doesn't explain the destination of the water that falls on COD's 273 acres, nor does it explain how much of COD runoff does reach Pond #7 and Lake #4.  We do know it travels off of their campus and continues downstream. We also know that on April 18th Lake #3 overtopped first, followed by Pond #7 and finally by Lake #4, because this was observed and documented by neighbors on Brentwood and by me. We also know that the capacity of the system is inadequate, and that the discharge of Pond #7 and Lake #4 is via a single, restricted storm sewer. When the system capacity is reached, flooding is inevitable. Finally, we also know that runoff from COD has to go somewhere and this includes Pond #7 and Lake #4. Schober raised a question when he stated that there is a large underground connection between Lake #3 and one of COD's ponds. What else don't we know?

Schober stated that the college had to deal with significant runoff from upstream Glen Ellyn, but later contradicted that by stating that GE contributes only about 20 acres of runoff.

The position of the college appears to be this; because flow originates upstream, they are not a part of the problem and so they don't need to be involved in an area wide solution. The college has met the stormwater requirements of the county and so the problem is someone else's. In his May 6th email to me about the flooding, Robert Breuder, the president of the college summed it up this way. "It goes without saying that if ever COD causes a valid problem for its neighbors, we will address the same quickly and responsibly."

The college apparently does not see that it is involved in a valid problem for its neighbors!

Is that the proper position for a body supported by public funds which is a member of the "community"?" It may not be an accident that the "Community College of DuPage" has installed signage and deleted the word "Community" not only in word, but apparently in deed.

Unless there is an area study and flows from the contributors including Wheaton's Lakes upstream as well the COD campus, we won't know how to solve this problem. For example, until we know how much water really enters Pond #7 and Lake #4 during these 2% and 1% rainfall events, it isn't possible to determine what improvements should be made to the underground discharge of Lake #4. Nor is it possible to determine exactly how much retention and detention is prudent for Lakes #3, #4, Pond #7 and the areas adjacent on college property.

Of course, expanding any retention/detention areas will cost money and will also absorb real estate. The college has plans for its campus and that real estate is finite and valuable. That is probably the real reason the college has not volunteered to participate. As a consequence any solution will have to occur off of the campus.

Thanks to All
Thanks to everyone who attended the meeting, to Wheaton for stepping up to the plate, to the College of DuPage for listening and to the County for assisting and getting this initial step to happen.  I realize that not everyone who attended was empowered to make any promises, and we don't know the instructions that were given to Messrs Schober and Schmeidl by the college. One positive development was that everyone did agree that a larger involvement is necessary. However, the college continues to disappoint as it feels that it is "not a part of the problem" and therefore does not need to be involved, to paraphrase Robert Breuder's comments in his May 6 email to me.

Notes: 

Oops! First posted with April 23 meeting date. Not correct. Actual meeting occurred on May 23rd and that has been corrected in the post.

1. The above is a summary and is not all inclusive. The duration of the walk and meeting was about two hours.
2. What's Changed since 2004? In 2004 COD began a series of construction programs to expand parking and adjust detention ponds and water storage. Detention Pond 3 (DP3) was eliminated by rerouting of storm water from Detention Pond 3 to Detention Pond 2. Parking Lot K was built over the vacated pond.
3. Construction has continued since 2004. Here's a graphic of the master plan of the college as it existed in 2004. It shows some of the ponds and detention areas which existed then.