COD - "After media pressure, thankfully, some sanity finally resulted."

The Following video was published on Jun 30, 2014

"Adam Andrzejewski lays out the College of DuPage Pay-To-Play With Governor Quinn- election votes for $20 million Construction Grant? The public comment at a board of trustees meeting is based in full on an email from President Robert Breuder to trustees detailing a political strategy to concoct a scheme to secure funding for an un-needed project."

This is the third of three posts about how COD lost the opportunity for $20 million in state funding. 

A series of articles on July 1-3 at the Daily Herald provided the initial insights into the recently exposed attempt by the College of DuPage to get state funds through misrepresentation. Links to the article and to the "For the Good of Illinois" website are included in this post. 

The Daily Herald article states: 

"The College of DuPage won't receive a $20 million state construction grant now that Gov. Pat Quinn has seen an email detailing President Robert Breuder's strategy to secure the long-promised funding for the Glen Ellyn school. "

Here are excerpted statements made by the Governor and his spokesman on the decision to withhold the funds: 

Apparently the funds were withheld because "The tactics used by the president [Robert Breuder] in his email" and "We are suspending the possibility that they can submit a project for that funding." "We have no tolerance for any misrepresentation of how funds will be used," said David Blanchette, a spokesman for the governor.

According to the Herald article "Blanchette said $25 million in capital funds were appropriated for COD in 2009 by the state legislature as part of the Illinois Jobs Now! program. To date, $5 million has been obligated toward the demolition of structures on the Glen Ellyn campus."

The Herald also revealed that "Breuder's email was made public last week by an Elmhurst-based government watchdog group that obtained it through a Freedom of Information Act request.

The group, For the Good of Illinois, accused Breuder of coming up with an "unplanned" classroom building proposal to help secure the $20 million.  [Adam Andrzejewski is chairman of For the Good of Illinois]. According to the article Andrzejewski said "Breuder pressured the COD board to fast track the classroom project to obtain the $20 million state grant."

"The COD trustees quite obviously have a president whose leadership style and public actions are very troubling," Andrzejewski said. "The trustees need to reassert control of school governance."

He said Quinn "made the right call" by deciding to withhold the grant money.

"Until today, Dr. Breuder's entire strategy was coming to fruition in real-time," Andrzejewski said. "The only piece missing was Governor Quinn granting the money. After media pressure, thankfully, some sanity finally resulted."

Clicking will open a  New Window> Daily Herald July 3 article - COD


Clicking will open a  New Window> For the Good of Illinois Website

"The College of DuPage looked like it has forgotten its core mission,"

This is the second of three posts about how COD lost the opportunity for $20 million in state funding.

"The College of DuPage looked like it has forgotten its core mission," Adam Andrzejewski

An article at the News-Gazette provides additional information about the recently exposed attempt by the College of DuPage to get state funds through misrepresentation. It also provides additional information about recent college spending and the man who exposed the attempt to get that $20 million. This post will include a link to the original News-Gazette article and to the website of Adam Andrzejewski, who is chairman of For the Good of Illinois.

From the July 10, 2014 article at the News-Gazette by Jim Dey


"Most East Central Illinois residents probably haven't heard about the controversy involving a suburban community college president caught scheming about how to extract $20 million in state funds that his campus didn't need.

 "... not being able to say how we would use the state's money (perhaps no real need) could lessen our chances to break the money loose at this time (the political moon is rising). A building that focuses on teaching and learning is politically attractive," wrote Dr. Robert Breuder, president of the College of DuPage in an email to trustees.

He [Breuder] even hit upon a plan to publicly laud Pat Quinn when the governor spoke at the college's recent commencement.

"... I want to help our cause (getting the $20 million released sooner rather than later) by thanking him for his commitment in front of 3,500 people. There are many voters in our district. Please keep November in mind," said Breuder, referring to Quinn's re-election campaign. Whatever scheme Breuder hatched, his plan worked. The $20 million was in the pipeline — at least until his email plotting became public. Citing "the tactics used by the president in his email," Gov. Quinn suspended the funding.

"We have no tolerance for any misrepresentation of how funds will be used," a Quinn spokesman stated. "

What about the man who uncovered this plot? "News of the email is just one of a series of recent disclosures involving the College of DuPage generated by Adam Andrzejewski (pronounced Angie-f-ski), the ramrod of OpenTheBooks.com, a website dedicated to putting government spending online."

According to Mr. Dey's article, "...Andrzejewski recently examined spending at the College of DuPage, and the telltale email barely scratched the surface.

For instance, Breuder had a $469,365 compensation package for the fiscal year that ended June 30. It included an $8,400 automobile allowance, a "professional development" payment of $36,000, $24,900 for an annuity, an $18,000 housing allowance, six weeks of vacation and an additional 12 days for "respite and renewal." Breuder didn't even contribute to his own generous state pension — the college kicked in $22,000 for that.

Paid a salary of $269,000, Breuder's contract states that he can only be fired "for cause" by a super-majority (5/7th) of the college board.

Then there's the massive spending at the DuPage County college — $550 million in construction since 2009. In addition, the college has spent $192,000 over the past four years on wine and wine accessory purchases. The wine presumably goes into the wine cellar at the college's French restaurant, which was opened in 2011 and lost $576,000 in fiscal year 2012. "We are trying to quantify the losses in FY 2013," Andrzejewski said.
Or the wine could go to the college's hotel, "The Inn at Water's Edge."

"The College of DuPage looked like it has forgotten its core mission," Andrzejewsi said. "

Jim Dey, a member of The News-Gazette staff, can be reached by email at jdey@news-gazette.com or at 217-351-5369.


Here's a link to Mr. Dey's article - Clicking will open a  New Window> Jim Dey Website - News Gazette


Here's a link to Mr. Andrzejewki's website - Clicking will open a  New Window> Andrzejewsi's Website


Clicking will open a  New Window> For the Good of Illinois Website

Welcome to 2014

2013 is beyond us and here we are in 2014. To date, it seems this may be a "freeze - thaw - freeze" winter. I dislike the transitioning from warmer to colder and back again, ad perpetuum or perhaps, ad nauseum. On the other hand, that's better than -21F.

If I had my choice, I'd prefer living in a temperate climate in which the "high" winter temperatures are below freezing and above 14F. I prefer snow to ice.Hmmm, it's 68F in Yuma Arizona. Of course, in San Diego its a uniform 70F during the day. Hawaii also offers more uniform temperatures.

Extreme Cold Weather Means Higher Heating Costs
It's monday evening and as I write this I'm comfortable in my condo and the furnace is running. My most recent natural gas bill was $34 but I overpaid it as I have the past few months in anticipation of the frigid weather we usually get in January. Ta Da here it is! The conditions expected tonight through Tuesday should take a bite out of the roughly $132 I've accumulated in my account using the NiCor  "budget" plan.  In December 2012 I used about 64 therms of energy. In December 2013 I used 96 therms of energy. Yes indeed, I'm surely burning through that surplus.

In 2013 my average monthly natural gas bill was $50.75.  That was for gas consumed for heating, hot water and cooking. That's why I never pay less than $50 a month no matter what NiCor recommends. My combined gas and electric bill averaged $113.62 each month in 2013. I do use a setback thermostat and use the oven to bake when it's really cold outside. However, with the much greater use of natural gas in December and current very low temperatures I'll have to increase that monthly payment or experience a large "spike" in my bills.

The price per therm of natural gas was $0.40 in December 2013. In December 2012 it was  $0.45.  That's reduced my average monthly bill by about $5.50. However, with these extreme cold temperatures across large portions of the U.S. natural gas consumption is surging and prices will increase. Those temporary monthly savings are over.

Association Comparison
My point with the weather and natural gas price fluctuations is this. A simple thing can alter my costs by $5.50 a month for my unit. These are things we really can't predict and we certainly cannot control. Yes, I can lower my thermostat by 1F and that will reduce my energy consumption. There are practical limits to this.

In our association my fees increased $3.46 over the fee a year ago. That's about 1%. This assumes the cost in 2014 will be within 1% of what they were last year. This includes electricity for utility room heat and association lighting, snow removal, maintenance, repairs, capital improvements and so on . It assumes all costs will be managed to maintain a budget within 1%. The complainers have no idea how difficult this is, or simply don't care.

Snow Plowing
It's -13F outside and 19F in the garage; I've got some wireless sensors installed to monitor these conditions.

On "Chicago Tonight" they just announced that city had completed major arteries and was working on side streets. That's at 7:10PM on Monday, January 6.

We've been luckier than that. Our streets were plowed on Sunday by our private service. Entrances and driveways were shoveled at the same time. We're a PUD and so we pay for this. Yes, we pay the same real estate taxes everyone else does. That's why cities thought PUDs would be a wonderful idea; push the services off of the city and onto the taxpayers who live in these Private Urban Developments with no reduction in tax revenues. What a wonderful scheme!

Our snow removal wasn't perfect but it was darn close. We didn't have a cul-de-sac waiting 24 hours after the complex was plowed to have that street cleared, as occurred in neighboring communities. Of course, we pay for this. There are some advantages to living in a PUD but one does have to pay via fees for these services. Today our maintenance crews were knocking icicles from above the A&B garage entrances, and the walking entrances. We do have snow in some of the dormer windows up to 1/2 the window height. When it warms there may be problems. Rain is predicted in a few days!

I understand some owners will say "The snow removal company we had last year did a better job." We haven't changed vendors nor have we changed the scope of the work. Plowing occurs at 2" of snowfall. So we xometimes get a push at 3" and then if we get another inch on top of that, we won't get a push. It's not always practical to wait until the storm is over to push and timing may also be a factor. If we get one of those long, slow snowfalls on a weekend, it might be prudent to let it accumulate to 3" rather than pushing at 2" and again at 1". There is a cost for each push.

It's darn cold outside but by Wednesday we'll be getting back to normal weather pattern for this time of year.

For the "change" aficionados, they should be thrilled by these weekly weather changes.

Keeping Warm - Condo Cooking
Staying inside when possible is the prudent thing. So what to do when inside? Cooking and baking which use the oven are to me a good way to provide supplemental heat and get something good to eat.

Baked chicken is a no brainer. A fryer from the Wheaton meat market, rubbed in olive oil, salted and peppered and with fresh sliced red potatoes and carrots added.

Here it is after baking and ready to eat. Yum! I use a foil tent but remove it after 45 minutes in the oven and allow the chicken to brown. At that point I measure the temperature with a digital probe (not provided by aliens from outer space) and then leave the chicken a bit longer if I want it crispy. The trick is to get the chicken to doneness without drying out the legs and wings. I use aluminum skewers to hold the legs against the body, or I use heavy twine. The wings I hold in place with smaller skewers or with potatoes resting against them. 

Planning, Complaints and Goals
This is the time to plan for the activities that can occur when  better weathe arrivesr; this is true for individuals as well as HOA's. However, before I go down that road  I'll provide the board with some options in the "Architecture and Maintenance" area and we can set some priorities for 2014. It makes no sense to plan something that the board considers unnecessary. My list may include what I consider to be important items, but the board may not agree and that's appropriate. Any activity uses funds and those funds come from fees. This is a well known fact, and is an explanation for why some association boards are known as "do nothing" boards. One of the easiest ways to save money in the short term is to defer maintenance and simply take care of the "squeaky wheels."

Doing nothing or taking care of the few is not maintaining the association and eventually that deferred maintenance catches up. Then the bills roll in. Of course, individual owners have their own ideas about appropriate maintenance. At one extreme we have the investor who sees any fees to pay for maintenance as detracting from his or her revenue and the owner who sees maintenance on the building in which he or she resides as the only appropriate use of funds. The  rallying cry in 2008 was "What do we get for our money?"

In the "good old days" when real estate was the rage and flipping was an everyday pastime, one could argue to keep fees low while conspiring to sell one's unit; some did. Today it is far more difficult to pass the hat to future owners because sales remain uncertain. The free ride is over and home ownership is once again the alternative to renting it was always intended to be. Real estate via one's "home" is no longer a "get rich quick" scheme, a piggy bank to be tapped via easy equity loans or a means via "liar loans" to access free money. I think it can be argued this is a good thing, but it has been a difficult and bitter pill for all of us. Some associations have experienced extreme duress because of the consequences of high delinquencies and foreclosures.

But what happened to those would-be flippers who expected to make a quick buck, or those who were holding and planned to "sell at the top" and move elsewhere? Some escaped via foreclosure and some sold before the bottom dropped out. I think some remain here, trapped by the market conditions and unable to sell at the price they anticipated. A few are now among the ranks of the chronic complainers. It's no secret that there are home owners who say "I wish I had never purchased." There is no question our hopes were dashed and most would agree that while a financial crisis was expected the impact on housing was far more severe than most of us anticipated. Some of us simply muddle through while others lash out in frustration or anger. The board is always a good target. The board is a group of sitting ducks and boards generally can't do much but take the abuse when it comes their way. However, I do think it's appropriate to "say it like it is" and I for one will not be a target or a punching bag.

I prefer to take owner complaints "head on" and defer owner complaints to the entire board. In recent years I've noticed that some of our owners seem to enjoy their complaints and relish picking fights. I'm of the opinion that if it's important, owners can attend the monthly association meetings and briefly state their opinions to the entire board. These opinions range from what's right, to what's wrong with COD. the landscaping, drainage, lighting, painting, the streets, management, snow removal, the weather or whatever.

I concluded some years ago that to do everything that individual owners request and to do it uniformly for everyone would use more funds than we have collected in the past decade. Most of our owners pay their fees in a timely manner and so I assume they have the financial acumen to figure this out. Some don't. We certainly publish sufficient information in the newsletters, etc. for people to be aware of what's going on, where and why the money is being spent, and of the issues we all face. There are frank discussions at the association meetings. But it isn't all good news and some owners then say to the board "How could you let this happen?"  Some of our owners can't understand why the board is short-staffed. Really? So how it works is a few owners volunteer to do the work on the board. In our association that's 6 out of 336, and a few other owners turn this into an "us versus them" situation. Most do understand and I appreciate that understanding.

For 2014  we'll again look at the programs that are in progress, continue them, deal with new issues and decide if the budget under current collections can handle everything. This annual planning process began with the October 2013 budget workshop. I assume priorities will be reviewed and there is always the possibility that some items will be at the bottom of the list while others will be at the top. Isn't that how most of us deal with our personal finances? Establish a budget, have an "emergency" fund and do things based on a priority schedule? Only after the most important things are completed are the "discretionary" items done. Yes, we do have a plan to continue the roofing project this year. However, exactly how many roofs we will do is a board decision. Funding is one of the considerations. Goals have been set but it is up to the owners to provide the funding for maintenance and capital projects.

One of the complaints is "Our fees are too high." Board members have to pay the same fees everyone else does. There are no perks for the board. At present every building on the cul-de-sac on which my building resides has been re-roofed. Every building that is, except the one which houses my unit.

This association and its board does not operate in a vacuum. Nor are things a constant. The current state of the fireplaces and the notification from Wheaton is an example.

In 2014 repaving a portion of Lakecliffe Blvd will be a priority project. There is the replacement work involving the stream, walks and bridge behind Thames to contend with. The roofing project, drainage improvements and driveways replacements or repairs are also to continue. There should be some direction about the "storm water system" operated and maintained by the City of Wheaton which includes several lakes including Lake 3 to the north and Lake 4 to the south.    Then there is our neighbor to the East. The dam permitting process involving COD's Pond 7 and Lake 4 continues. COD seems hell bent on spending as much money as possible accompanied by continuous credit hour cost increases. Will they attempt to raise our real estate taxes to cover increased operating expenses?

Will Wheaton have a "100 year" Storm Event in 2014?
That's a good question. I have no idea of what weather we will experience. Since January 1 it has been interesting!

Near term the Farmer's Almanac predicts "Rain and Fog" for the period January 4-7 for the Midwest and the Great Lakes region. Well, at least they got the fog right. For the 8th-11th. "Southern Plains storm moves to Great Lakes; heavy rain and snow." Based on current predictions it seems we'll have frigid weather for a few days, but by January 11 and 12 there is a chance of rain.

COD of Glen Ellyn is included in the Dam Study

Here's a brief update.
In May the Illinois Department of Natural Resources ("IDNR") issued a letter to our HOA advising us that a permit was required for "Lake 4" which the IDNR had classified as a dam. This was apparently a consequence of the flooding which occurred in this area on April 18, 2013.

In reality, the situation with this 6 acre lake is complicated by an easement to the City of Wheaton to "operate and maintain" a storm water control system which includes not only this lake, but those upstream which feed it. Immediately to the east of "lake 4" is the Hoddinot Wildlife Refuge, which is in Glen Ellyn and operated and maintained by the College of DuPage. This includes COD's "Pond 7" which is separated from lake 4 by a shallow weir.

It took a few months to sort this out and on October 14 the IDNR issued a new "directive" to our association and to the College of DuPage. That directive was copied to The Village of Glen Ellyn, the City of Wheaton, and to the County of DuPage. So, finally, we are all operating on the same page!

The study funded by the City of Wheaton is progressing, and recently the engineering firm they commissioned has been conducting surveys of the immediate area.

For more information on the study see the following post:;New Window> City of Wheaton - Briarcliffe Study

COD, Hoddinott, Marshes and Prairies

An aerial photo of the college campus as it is purported to have existed in 1974; this is the year that construction of BLMH began and was substantially complete in 1976. In the photo Fawell (22nd) is the curving road in the foreground. Lambert road is in the distance and beneath the "1974." You can see the green space and bodies of standing water that existed on the campus.

According to the COD website, the community college today  “maintains three natural areas on the Glen Ellyn campus: the Russell R. Kirt Prairie, the Ecological Study Area, and the B.J. Hoddinott Wildlife Sanctuary. These areas are open to the public for nonconsumptive recreational use. Removal of plants and seeds from these areas is prohibited.”

The B. J. Hoddinott Wildlife Sanctuary includes "Pond #7" which recently overtopped and flooded areas to the south.

This post will provide information on the Hoddinott Wildlife Sanctuary with additional information on the natural areas of the campus in 1974 and to the present.  In that time the college has had extensive building projects throughout the campus. According to Russell Kirt it has also worked on restoring or reconstructing about 30 acres of prairies in the period 1974 to 2003. The largest single tract was about 12-13 acres and in a 2012 video Kirt described it as a "deciduous swamp" filled with farm debris. (Note 5).

How did the B. J. Hoddinott Wildlife Sanctuary come to be?
Bertram (Bert) J. Hoddinott was a Briarcliffe resident who was both a conservationist and a hunter. He was “an avid fan of the marsh behind Building M” and in 1983 the marsh was “an outdoor classroom for College of DuPage students and a home for families of ducks and geese.” As for the ducks he said “I love them.” Hoddinott told the story that he had two geese friends, which he named George and Harry. They would come to him when he called from across the lake. Here's a photo of the manicured remains of that marsh behind Bulding M, as it exists today:

Hoddinott was concerned about the marsh in the southwest corner of the campus and which needed considerable work. He was aware that the college operates with limited funds and so he met with H.D. McAninch, the college president and “offered to fund the development of the marsh for the encouragement and preservation of wildlife.”

Hoddinott had big plans for that marsh, and initially provided $16,000 for the purpose of improving and fortifying the marsh; a multi-year project that began in the summer of 1983. Hoddinott simply said that he “was glad that somebody gave me the opportunity to put back some of what I’ve taken over the years."  Hoddinott continued to fund the project and the day after his 84th birthday Hoddinott “appeared in McAninch’s office and placed the $266 he had collected for the marsh [from friends and relatives] on McAninch’s desk.”

“Hoddinott has not only given College of DuPage the funds for perpetual care of the marsh, but he has also established an endowment scholarship for a student interested in wildlife ecology.” The college honored Hoddinott with a framed photograph of the “B.J. Hoddinott marsh” and a birthday cake in a ceremony for his 84th birthday.

In a 1983 article in the college newsletter, Hoddinott was quoted: “I just hope the Lord keeps me around to see this finished…At least partially finished.” Mr. Hoddinott died on June 27, 1986 at the age of 84.

What was the original plan for Hoddinott Wildlife Sanctuary?
A goal of the project was to push the marsh eastward during the rainy season “eventually surrounding the radio tower.” It was anticipated to add small islands in the marsh so water fowl could lay their eggs. Hoddinott hoped to eventually see trees planted for song birds and “we’ll plant sunflowers back there to give them something to eat.” The plans included a concrete berm to keep the level of the marsh constant. I assume that berm included the weir that connects the marsh “Pond #7” to Lake #4.

“These areas do not exist merely by chance.”
Marshes have had a rocky co-existence with the Village of Glen Ellyn and COD. There has been a tension between individuals, the college and the Village. In a 1983 COD article it was stated that the marsh on Lambert Road was disrupted as "city crews widened [Lambert Road] right up against the marsh, tearing out small willows, cattails and cottonwoods and installing a cement sidewalk." Glen Ellyn's efforts "were completely out of hands....but we knew this (damage) would happen" according to Alpha Instructor Hal Cohen.

In the mid 1970's the college administration gave instructor Russ Kirt the "go-ahead" for a prairie restoration project. The 1.4 acre tract on Fawell-22nd street was painstakingly seeded and transplanted. "More than 70 species of plants that reigned over the prairies 150 years ago can be found in Kirt's prairie, including many that are difficult to propagate in larger prairie restorations." said a 1983 article. Kirt explained "I'm interested in species preservation...And, before prairie restoration became popular, it was a way of doing something popular and not complaining. And, it's great for students to learn about prairies. They really get into it. They love it."

Somewhat presciently, in 1983 COD biology instructor Bob Satterfield said "Square ponds, straight roads and things that are rigid are boring and frustrating.... They don't elicit the response we expect from students. Our aesthetic environment is enhanced by natural areas." However, in that same year the college hired a landscaping architect "to help plan the campus grounds."

30 years later, it could be argued that the manicurists are winning. The college today has sculpted waterfalls, tailored ponds, fountains, a "fine dining" restaurant and hotel with "luxury accommodations." The hotel and restaurant are adjacent to an "Ecological Study Area" according to the published "Facilities Master Plan" of 2004.

A Historical Perspective
There have been marshes in the area for 150 years, but the marsh which was once bisected by Lambert Road was created in 1965 or so. "That marsh would not have existed at all had not construction crews dug out truckloads of earth to form a berm for Building A. The resulting depression filled with water, acquired marsh loving plants and animals, and, later, a growing fan club."

In the November 1980 issue of the college newsletter an article entitled “Will the Marsh Get Bogged Down” described changes to the area which today includes the Russell R. Kirt Prairie. To provide some idea of the sentiment at the time, the article began with “College of DuPage’s marsh has been called by some an eyesore of a bog.” Yet, there was concern that widening Lambert Road would destroy the natural beauty as it cut through a portion of the marsh. However, at the time Don Carlson, director of Campus Services stated that provisions had been made to “move” the marsh from it’s original spot to an area farther east. This would coincide with construction of the new Student Resources Building.

The plan in 1980 was to “scrape away an area adjacent to the easternmost bank of the marsh, and the water will then be allowed to swell into that area. At the same time, the westernmost edge will be filled in to allow for the widening of Lambert.” The attitude of the college in 1980 was expressed by Alpha instructor Harold Cohen. “We've created an environment for a lot of plants and animals in God’s image so we have to preserve it.” The article went on to say “While marshes are disappearing all over Illinois, the college’s marsh is growing and changing”. “I’ve recorded as many as 63 species of birds alone,” Cohen was quoted.

However, by 1983 a college article stated “Some people look at a marsh and think only of mosquitoes breeding there. Others think of prairies as weed patches. But to College of DuPage instructors and their students, the on-campus marshes and prairie are very special outdoor classrooms for biology, botany, art and photography.” The article went on to state that “These areas, rare for a community college, do not exist merely by chance. They are the result of ongoing vigilance of a troupe of faculty and staff members who spent hours preparing proposals, working in the field and meeting with campus architects, Campus Services Director Don Calson and President H. D. McAninch to safeguard and develop the natural areas. They have saved one marsh from being squeezed into oblivion between the new SRC road and the newly widened Lanbert Road. They found another marsh a generous guardian angel [B. J. Hoddinott]...”

“Protecting natural areas is difficult in the midst of a growing college campus”
So stated a college article entitled “The Ecology of DuPage” in October 1983. The college’s “original master plan called for seven buildings that would have stretched all along the grasslands and marshy areas east of Lambert."

Today the college master plan has relegated the Hoddinott Wildlife Sanctuary to the recently declared (2012) "service area" of the college and it is no longer identified on the official master plans. During an on site meeting on May 23rd, a representative of the college actually stated that the area was not a part of the college; it's unclear if he mis-spoke or was stating the current attitude.

It's sad to see Mr. Hoddinott's vision trashed. It's sad to see big money and big interests win in this community college. But I suppose the sanctuary is an anachronism. Hoddinott's vision is no longer consistent with the perceived needs of the college and its vision as a cultural center. In "culture" there may be little need for nature, unless it is mowed or supports a wonderful public relations image. Let's be honest. How much has been spent on the Waterleaf Restaurant and the Inn at the Water's Edge on the campus? What's the annual operating budget for these facilities? Let's compare to the annual expenditures to maintain and improve the three "natural areas" on the campus. Enough said!

A Challenge
Today, in 2013, Mr. Hoddinott's vision is languishing. Perhaps it's time for the neighbors, including those to the south to take up the challenge and restore that vision.

 Notes

1. This post includes quotes from several issues of the College of DuPage newsletter including those dated November 1980, October 1983 and Spring 1986
2. According to COD documents, a pipe draining water out of the Lake #4 was capped as part of the marsh preservation project.
3. According to www.Scholarshiplibrary.com, the “B.J. Hoddinott Wildlife Ecology Scholarship” of the College of DuPage is “for students interested in pursuing a field of study in wildlife biology or wildlife ecology in Natural Sciences. Applicants must be a full-time student taking 12 hours per quarter, have accumulated 48 credit hours by Fall Quarter, at least 50 percent of credits from C.O.D., maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA to receive funds, demonstrate financial need and submit Financial Need Statement and complete a five-hour independent study during scholarship year, approved by Hoddinott Project supervisor or Natural Sciences dean.”
4. Thanks to those who provided the documentation to support this article. 
5. Here's a video presentation by Russell Kirt, after whom the prairie on the campus is named:

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.

Flood - A Call to the Committed

Here is the question. Do YOU want to see this problem solved, or do you want to pass it to someone else to solve some day, or one day, in the future? Are you willing to take a stand or not? If you want to solve this, then continue reading.

Believe me, there are a lot of people who have no interest in solving this. For the stakeholders, who are those who will have to make the decision to expend hard cash to solve this, there are a lot of other things pulling at those dollars. So what would the popular decision be? Solve this problem, or avoid it and promote something with glitter, like a new statue on the COD campus, or downtown activities in Glen Ellyn and Wheaton?

If you were a politician, or an administrator or member of the board of the trustees of the "Community" College of DuPage, what would you do?  Frankly, the answer to that question is easy. Simply continue doing what has worked in the recent past, and avoid the difficult decision.

That is exactly the outcome to be expected after the flood of 2013. Why should you expect anything different? Left to their own devices, the decision makers will make exactly the same decision they have made in the past.

On April 19 4:49pm I made the formal request that this message be sent to everyone in the neighborhood network.  Here is that message:

A Personal Request
Hello, I’m the guy who filmed the flood, has the personal blog, and is advocating a solution.

The flood occurred four weeks ago. Most recently, including 1996, 2008 and 2013 this type of flooding has been experienced south of COD’s Glen Ellyn Pond 7 and Wheaton’s Lake 4, which is a part of that City’s “Special Flood Control” project.

Four weeks after the most recent flooding, a lot of us are returning to normal and the attention of the College, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton and the neighborhood is looking toward the end of the current school semester, summer and the Memorial Day Holiday.

However, it is up to each of us to keep this problem in front of the officials and decision makers who can do something about this. This is vitally important if we want to accomplish any positive change. In the past, there has been public concern but as some of the neighbors have said “nothing came of it.” The City of Wheaton did, in fact, do some things in 1997 to alleviate this problem but it was insufficient and they acted alone. That’s not going to get the job done. The watershed which flows into this neighborhood covers about 1-1/2 square miles and includes portions of the COD campus, Glen Ellyn and Wheaton.

Do you want this to be another one of those situations in which this difficult problem gets passed over to deal with more attractive, colorful and easier problems? If not, then we need your help. We need to keep this problem visible and we need to press a variety of officials at the college, nearby communities, the county and the state in order to assist them in making the difficult and expensive decisions required to reduce the flooding in our neighborhood.

To provide some insight, I’ll relate a statement that was made on May 8 during a neighborhood meeting at the College of DuPage. Robert Breuder, the president said to one of the neighbors that “The flooding is obviously not a serious situation; otherwise there would have been more people here tonight.” That’s the perspective and unless we each press this, I am convinced this is the position the politicians and administrators will take. Some mean well, some have more pressing concerns. We need this to be an important issue and we need to keep it in the forefront if it is to get the funding and attention it requires.

This is a legal, technical, financial and political problem. Legally, COD may be complying with all codes and ordinances. Legally, it may be proper to allow the “natural drainage pattern” to continue and these floods to continue. Technically, there are solutions which can reduce flooding. Financially, someone or someone’s must come up with the funds to fix this. Politically, sufficient exertion must be placed on Wheaton, Glen Ellyn and COD to work together to solve this problem, make the difficult decisions to do what will be necessary and come up with the funds to do so. If we expect the City of Wheaton can do this on their own, we are mistaken.

The decision makers include:

•  Anthony J. Charlton, P.E – Director and Jim Zay - Chairman, Stormwater Management Planning Committee
• Dan Cronin - County Board Chairman
• Clayton Heffter, Stormwater Permitting Manager, DuPage County Dept. of Economic Development and Planning
• JR McBride – District 4 Board Member
• Michael Gresk - Mayor of Wheaton
• Mark Franz – Village Manager, Glen Ellyn
• Robert L. Breuder – President, College of DuPage
• The Board of Trustees, College of DuPage
• Sandy Pihos, Illinois State Representative

You can send a letter to each of these, and the names of the board of trustees of the College of DuPage is on their website. In the past, I've sent individual letters to each of the individuals on the above list and to each and every member of the Board of Trustees of the College. I suggest you do likewise. You may also add your Village or City councilman or councilwoman.

I also suggest that [the communications leader for the neighborhood group] prepare a petition. I request that each of us provide our names and addresses and sign that petition. I suggest a copy be sent to all of the individuals on the above list.

This situation is being monitored by a reporter at the Chicago Tribune, who has been helpful in focusing attention on this problem. I’ll send a copy of any and all letters or emails I receive, as well as the petitions to that reporter, as I have agreed to stay in communications about this problem.

Here is a possible text for the petition:
“We, the residents of unincorporated Glen Ellyn and of Wheaton, who live at the southernmost extreme of the College of DuPage’s Pond 7 in Glen Ellyn and Wheaton’s Flood Control Lake #4 hereby petition the State, the County, the College, the Village of Glen Ellyn and the City of Wheaton to take coordinated steps to end the flooding of these neighborhoods in 50 year and 100 year flood events, which are sometimes called 1% and 2% rainfall events.

This is an unacceptable situation in these affluent communities, and in neighborhoods which are adjacent to a Community College which boasts “luxury hotel accommodations” and a “fine dining” restaurant. In recent years, alterations to the neighborhood has exacerbated flooding. Our neighborhood is now the repository of runoff during severe storms. It has been stated that this is the “natural pattern of drainage” and implied that flooding is to be expected and is acceptable.

We think that repetitive and reoccurring flooding of our homes and neighborhood is not to be expected or tolerated, and via this petition we are communicating our expectation that the County of DuPage, Community College of DuPage, City of Wheaton and Village of Glen Ellyn come together to do something about this. Each of you are an entity which is supported by tax dollars. You are public institutions and part of your role is to promote well-being.

We encourage you to solve this problem. We encourage you to cooperate and take the difficult steps to alleviate flooding in this area. We do understand that under extreme conditions flooding is unavoidable. However, the definition of “extreme” is subjective. The flood of April 18, 2013 occurred with 6.91 inches of rainfall in a 24 hour period. A ["100 year" or 1% event] will have between 7.35 and 8.68 inches of rainfall in 24 hours. On April 18 the rainfall was in the range for a “50 year event” which is between 6.66 and 7.24 inches.

Something has changed to contribute to the flooding. On September 12-13, 2008 the area received 5.27" rainfall according to DuPage County. At that time, with minor sandbagging behind COD’s Pond 7, neighbors were able to contain the overtopping of that pond and avoid flooding. In 2013 flooding was unavoidable and the interconnected pond #7 and Lake #4 overtopped. Several blocks of homes were flooded. Water was 3 feet deep behind and in front of homes on Brentwood, some homes had 8 feet of water and it ran for blocks down Briarcliffe Blvd. The recommendation for personal flood proofing may be futile in this situation.

We encourage action and expect accountability.“

To my neighbors, thank you for taking the time to read this and thank you for contacting the decision makers. It will make a difference. I've written about this situation in my personal blog http://briarcliffelakes.blogspot.com/ and I am convinced it will take each and every one of us to shift this.

Norman Retzke
LetMeThinkAboutThisBlog@gmail.com”



Notes:

1. "We are either a part of the solution or we are a part of the problem." That paraphrases the comment I made to Robert Breuder, the president of the College of DuPage in my email dated May 6. 
2. So where do you stand? Are you a part of the solution or a part of the problem? It's time to choose sides and there is no middle ground here. 

Flood - Photos 2008 and 2013 - Drainage vs Retention - Smoke and Mirrors?

If you want to jump to the chase, scroll down  to the photos. Otherwise, read on.

Retention, Detention, Wetlands and "Smoke and Mirrors"
Solving problems of this type requires looking at specifics, asking the right questions and getting specific answers to those questions.

There's more to the photos in this post than meets the eye. Here's a question to be answered. Were the 2011-2012 permits for pond 9 to be an increase in retention, or a replacement for other retention areas paved over by the college?  The photos of 2008 indicate a large existing area which provided service as a "retention/detention area" in 2008. With the construction changes on the campus how much detention/retention was actually added via the 2011-2012 construction? In particular, west of Lambert Road. If none or little was added then the "new" pond 9 may be "smoke and mirrors." It may be inadequate.

Some of the neighbors have noticed that some areas that were previously flooded were not on April 18. Other areas that weren't are now flooded or seem to be more flooded. What's going on?

Here's a third question to be answered. The most recent National Wetlands Inventory indicates that the area adjacent to the newly constructed COD pond 9 is a wetland. In 2008 it was a practice soccer field which provided both detention and retention; it was not a wetland. Is this a replacement for other wetland areas paved over or used by the college? Was this retention/detention area relabeled as "wetland" with no real or appreciable area gain and for the sole purpose of meeting some Federal "wetland" requirement? If a wetland label was applied to an area that formerly served as detention/retention that would imply that somewhere else on campus wetland was lost, and those areas usually retain water. That implies a reduction in detention/retention area. Looking at COD, it's apparent that these areas can't simply be moved without upsetting drainage patterns. After all, large areas to the south of the campus have flooded repeatedly.

Are these important questions? Yes, they are. Removing wetlands and detention/retention areas, replacing them with asphalt and sewers and then relabeling existing areas which previously served as retention/detention is a sham.

Reducing retention or detention areas will contribute to downstream flooding.

The final questions are these. Are the retention/detention areas of lakes 3 and 4 the same as they were in 1996? How much silt has been added to these lakes? Should Lake #3 be larger to relieve downstream flooding? If Lake #3 were substantially larger, could it alleviate the overtopping of that lake and would the flooding of areas south of COD be reduced? This and other questions will be looked at in an exploration of solutions in a future post.

What's Missing?
Before continuing to the photos, I will state the obvious. One of the things to be done to succeed is to determine what's missing and do that. I think residents in the area want a cohesive and broader look at the entire problem of flooding. One of the things that has been missing is a demand to solve the problem.

"Cohesive and broader" requires the involvement of all parties. It requires commitment and a willingness to get this done. What we have here is a classical turf war with a college which has grand plans but is geographically constrained and will use every taxpayer dollar it can raise to manicure or build on every available square inch of the property. It includes a Village which has ignored this problem for decades, a County which has only recently become involved and is a question mark, and the City of Wheaton which is now the center of attention. In the game of "duck and cover" having Wheaton take center stage works for everyone else.

Gee, this is the way it must have been in medieval Europe, with fiefdoms and duchies. Didn't that time include the period referred to as the "Dark Ages?"

The geography and measurements are easy. It includes the current capacity of lakes 3, 4 and the COD property west of Lambert, which includes the emerging wetland called pond 7 and pond 9. It includes the surface areas involved as well as an analysis of current retention and the necessary retention for the area in a "1%" and "2%" rainfall. Note that I said "for the area." That's what's been missing. A comprehensive study should include the entire COD campus and the Willoway Brook Drainage Basin; those portions that drain into Pond 7 and Lake 4 at the very least. That area includes portions of Wheaton, Glen Ellyn and the College of DuPage. As I said earlier, why shouldn't COD be retaining all of its runoff? The quick answer as to why it isn't doing so is this; periodic downstream flooding is acceptable for the college and is someone else's problem! Apparently that's the predominant theme for some of the other players in this drama.

I suspect this area is more susceptible to flooding today than it was in the recent past. What's changed since 2008? However, the ultimate question isn't what wasn't done in the past, but what should be done in the present. The codes apparently don't require this and so the water and the excuses keep rolling downhill.

What seems to be missing is cooperation and balance. Paul Redman, Wheaton's Director of Engineering has stated that there is a "cost - benefit" to this, and it must be weighed. It should also be shared.  I'd like COD, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton and the County to get together to sort this out. After all, the 1.5 square miles that drain into this area is within those communities and the college.

Is this too much to ask for? That's entirely up to us. We don't have to accept a future which is a continuation of the past.  We can create a different future. Will we? Will we take the necessary actions?

Photos of the Western area of COD, Lake #4 and Brentwood Lane Sept. 2008
This post includes a few photos taken during the flooding of 2008 and April 2013 so you may compare. At the end of the post is an aerial view of the southwest corner of the campus and its practice fields as they existed in 2008 and "dry." The area in that final photo is immediately north of COD's Pond #7 emergent wetland. The area of these practice fields was at a lower elevation than BLMH and sloped toward the 7.59 acres of COD's pond #7 "emergent wetland."  In 2008 COD had acres of grassy areas which have since been eliminated by the college. Some of this earlier retention was replaced by the new pond 9.

This post will look at a few of the retention/detention areas on the campus that existed in 2008 and how they aided in flood abatement.

Background for flooding in 2008
In September 2008 Wheaton experienced a downpour of 5.27 inches, and the area experienced flooding. Others were affected and the adjacent city of Warrenville published this statement:  "In September 2008, a large storm occurred that caused unprecedented flooding in the City of Warrenville."   (Note 1).

I don't want to underestimate the gravity of 2008 when sandbagging behind Brentwood Lane halted the overtopping of COD's Pond #7. However, what occurred on Brentwood in 2008 was a trickle as compared to the flooding of 2013!

A Return to 2008
These photos indicate the aftermath of a rainstorm of 5.27 inches. Compare these photos to the videos and photos of the same area with 6.91 inches on April 18 and after a modified campus.

The photos of 2008 show extensive standing water on the western portion of the campus. Some of the water of the storm of 2008 was detained and retained in large practice fields. Water did continue to flow south and homeowners south of COD's Nature Study Area and Pond #7 were sandbagging to protect their homes from the water exiting COD's nature area, which can be seen in the background in this photo looking to the southeast. Flooding was contained on Brentwood Lane!

The following photo depicts the way this same area looked in 2012 during COD's construction. This is before the addition of  the CMC building. If you compare the backgrounds in this photo to the one above you'll see why I consider the attitude of the College to be unacceptable. You may also gain some understanding of why some of those in Wheaton and unincorporated Glen Ellyn say that "The College of DuPage is a bad neighbor."

Back in 2008 this area was a "nature center" while today it has become, in the parlance of the College of DuPage, the "service area" of the college. Some people use the term "service area" as a euphemism for their "dump." The college has since cleaned up this area and installed a grassy berm, and continues to work on this. We were told it was to "shield" our association. However, the college has now admitted that it had another purpose; that's for another post.

Some owners who had these views or are adjacent have seen their home values plummet up to 50% from where they were. Gee, could our College be a part of the problem?

Here's a view in 2008 looking northeast toward the "M" building from BLMH and the water on the campus. It is inundated with standing water. The final photo in this post indicates where the photographer was standing:

Here's the conditions at the south berm of Lake #4 during the flood of 2008; no overflow:

Meanwhile COD's soccer practice fields were under water, and draining slowly into COD's pond #7 which was flowing into the yards behind Brentwood Lane. The neighbors on Brentwood Lane managed this by sandbagging:

With sandbagging by the neighbors, COD's Pond #7 was contained behind Brentwood Lane. There was no overtopping of Wheaton's Lake #4. The flooding was minor, as you can see by the standing water in the photo (image title corrected):

What a difference another 1.6 inches of rainfall makes! That, combined with the capacity of Lake #3 and alterations on the campus probably contributed to the flooding of 2013. Here's the same area behind COD's Pond #7 in 2013:

Here's a view looking toward the northwest from Brentwood Lane. Lake #4 is in the background and COD's pond 7 is on the right.

Here's the southwest area of the campus during the flooding of April 2013; The beginning of Pond #7 wetlands is on the right, and COD's new CMC building is in the background. The following photo was taken facing directly east:

Here's an aerial view of the "way it was" prior to the recent construction. The arrows in this photo indicate approximately where the photographer was standing for the 2008 photos which provide a view of the "nature study area" and the "M building practice fields":

Was past flooding considered when planning the construction of 2008-2012? 
I don't know. A resident told me that he did submit photos to the college. They were similar to the ones shown above and taken in 2008. He did this when they announced their expansion plans in this corner of the campus. He insists he told the college "This won't work; it will create problems."

I doubt if anyone at COD will say "Yes, you told us so!" unless we can document via certified letters, etc.

How has the drainage and retention changed?
The soccer fields south of the M building were about 2.9 acres in 2008 and during severe rain storms were covered with water and retained it. That's what's shown in the photos of 2008.

An additional area of soccer fields and green space extended from the area to the west of the M building and continued north. This area of about 6 acres also retained water in these storms, and detained the flow into Pond #7's emergent wetland. These grassy and low lying areas shielded BLMH and retained natural flow from higher elevations such as BLMH and COD, as well as Lake #3. This provided some protection for the Brentwood neighborhood.

The total area of this green space and emergent wetlands was about 16.5 acres; but no longer. Not only has the area been reduced, the elevation has been changed. Higher elevations cannot retain water unless by specific design. The new pond #9 meets that criteria.

Is it a coincidence that in 2008 the overtopping of Pond #7 was contained with minor sandbagging and Lake #4 didn't overtop, and yet in 2013 there was massive flooding south of the College? We did get less rainfall in the "flood" of 2008. In 2008 with 5.27 inches of rain the flooding was a "trickle" as compared to what occurred in April 2013.

Did COD alter the natural pattern of drainage?
Today the soccer fields have been removed and grassy areas have been replaced by parking, the CMC building, the "service area" of the college which includes "material storage" and the new "pond 9". A large berm extends for about 750 feet along the western property line of the campus. It sheds water onto the private property to the west, reversing the flow of stormwater which now is trapped to the west and no longer travels to the southeast.

The berm retains nothing and has created a channel or "swale" which directs rapidly flowing water south and into Pond #7 and Lake #4. It also directs it onto the private property west of the campus. Additional construction has raised the elevation of the campus east of the berm including added parking and the CMC building. Those constructs now carry water via new sewers in the direction of CODs pond 9. But not all water drains in that direction. Some leaves the pond 9 area, goes west toward Lake #3 and some, not trapped by the berm, goes south completely bypassing pond #9. All water flows downhill and it eventually finds its was to the Pond #7 emergent wetland and to Lake #4. From there, it may overflow and into Brentwood Lane and homes to the south and also into unincorporated Glen Ellyn.

Back in 2008, Glen Ellyn and the College of DuPage were cozy. When COD began it's expansion in this part of the campus in 2006, that seems to be when things spun out of control.

So how much water was retained in 2008 and how much is retained now? That's a question I'd like answered. To answer it would require access to earlier surveyor's drawings of the campus. However, simply matching the retention of 2008 guarantees flooding under certain conditions. What is required is more retention, not less! A larger solution will be presented in a future post. (Note 2)

I suspect the retention and detention areas of the southwest corner of the campus is less today than it was in 2008. In 2008 these lower lying soccer fields on the western property line of the campus totaled about 9.0 acres. That is equivalent to about 65% of the combined area  of emergent wetland Pond 7 and Lake 4. The subsequent reduction and replacement of those fields combined with the new, higher elevation construction in that part of the campus now sends water into the southwest corner and the Pond #7 wetland via sewers, and at a faster rate. That's the natural consequence of less detention; water flows more rapidly on asphalt and via sewers than it does via grassy fields. Less retention means that those shallow ponds no longer form as they did when the low lying soccer fields filled with water.

In his interview in the May 7 Chicago Tribune article, Robert Breuder, president of the College of DuPage said this:

"The retention pond that we just expanded on the west end of the campus far exceeds our current needs and the current expectations of the county,"

The highlights in the above quote are mine.  I plan on looking more closely into the alteration of the western portion of the campus in a future post.

Notes:

1. Clicking will open a  New Window> Warrenville Flood Investigation
2. Not everyone is happy to be involved in this problem, nor are they willing to find the answer and a solution. Solutions always take money and this problem is no different. I do realize that this is probably boring stuff for those who did not experience flooding in 1996, 2008 and 2013. However, when the next rain comes, there are new owners in the area, or should more extensive flooding occurs, there will probably be the complaint as there was in 2013. Someone may say "How could this happen? I didn't know!" Another will probably say "I didn't know there was a lake over there." (that's an actual quote of a neighbor about two blocks away). Well, no one can ever say someone wasn't putting this out here.
3. This is moving toward a conclusion, albeit slowly. I should be there in two or three more posts, but it may take a few more if I'm to keep these short. This particular post is about 3,000 words. Sorry for that. I realize that I do repeat some of the content of previous posts, but I'm assuming this might be the first time you read about this problem and I'm attempting to provide sufficiency in each post so each can stand alone and provide specific perspective. The next posts will include one on "what hasn't worked; bandaids versus solutions." I suppose that one which is a summary of the previous 20,000 words and photos is probably in order. The concluding post for this series will include specific possibilities and options. Of course, I'll also be providing updates. 
4. I'm no different than anyone else in this area and I too have a lot of other things to do with my time. However, I'm a long term planner and watching this has been like watching that proverbial slow motion train wreck. I decided to document this and to take a stand; that's the responsible thing to do, isn't it? As I recently wrote to Robert Breuder, the president of the College of DuPage, "You are either a part of the solution or the problem." As I see it, it's necessary to "walk the talk" and so it is with this blog. 
5. I will be moving on to other things here at BLMH, but I'll be coming back to this topic from time to time as requirements dictate.  Let's be honest, shall we. In this age of tweets, stream of consciousness news and "20 second" sound bites, most people have already moved on to something else. Is it any wonder that longer term and larger problems cannot be solved, such as the recurring flooding of this part of DuPage County?

Flood - What Really Caused Flooding

On May 7, an article appeared in the Chicago Tribune with this title:

"Wheaton will fix problem pipe that caused Briarcliffe flooding" (Article title revised May 17 - See Note 1)

That title is inaccurate and misleading. This prompted me to send an email with photos to the reporter who posted the story.

Here's the content of the email I sent on May 12:
"I read the May 7th article “Wheaton will fix problem pipe that caused Briarcliffe flooding” at the online Chicago Tribune. The title is grossly inaccurate.

Will the Tribune be running an article about how the overtopping of the berms on Pond #7 and Lake #4 caused Briarcliffe flooding on April 18 and how on April 20 the “leaking pipe” resulted in a reverse 9-1-1?

These were two distinct events separated by about 54 hours. The leak did not cause or result in any flooding. All water from the leak flowed a few feet and into two storm sewers. This is shown on the two attached photos of the “leak” from that pipe.

The residents who were quoted were describing the flooding of the 18th.

Also attached is a photo on April 18 of the flooding which began with the overflow (overtopping) of the berm on College of DuPage’s (Glen Ellyn) Pond #7. The flooding on April 18 was the result of the overtopping which began at COD’s pond 7 and then as the water level of Pond 7 increased, this overtopping expanded to the west and into Lake #4. Earlier studies by Wheaton indicated that the actual width of this overtopping was several hundred feet in width, and included Glen Ellyn’s College of Dupage as well as portions of Wheaton’s Lake #4.

The attached map may help you in visualizing this. You can go to Google Maps and it will show the area."

Here's two photos of the "leak" on April 20 which the article stated "caused Briarcliffe flooding":

Here's a photo of the beginning of the flooding on April 18:

Here is a link to the online article at the Chicago Tribune:

Clicking will open a New Window> Pipe that caused Briarcliffe Flooding


Notes:

1. On May 14, the title of the article in the Chicago Tribune was changed to "Wheaton will fix problem pipe that contributed to Briarcliffe flooding"  The reporter at the Tribune has defended the title of the article thusly: "Just to clarify, the main point of this article was to point out that the city of Wheaton will be paying for this pipe, which engineers believe “contributed” to the floods." However, the photos don't support anyone's position that the pipe contributed to the flooding, except in the most insignificant manner. Yes, there was an outflow of a few gallons per minute. How does that compare to the overtopping of COD's Pond #7 and Wheaton's Lake #4 which contributed thousands of gallons per minute? This is what the overtopping created: