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 - Wetlands, Lakes and COD Pond #7 Overtopping

The recent flood event redirected attention to the cause of flooding in South Wheaton and Glen Ellyn. In particular, the area south of the campus of the College of DuPage, and also to the southwest. Recent news publicity has focused on Wheaton's Lake #4, while Glen Ellyn - COD's overflowing ponds and wetlands have escaped scrutiny.


Here's an enlarged view of a portion of COD's designated wetlands and ponds, with Wheaton's Lakes #3 and 4, which are also "freshwater ponds" (PUBGx) in the National Wetlands Inventory (click on image to enlarge):

What Do the Codes Mean in the Above diagram?

PEMA = Wet Meadow. The Modifier "A" indicates it is "Temporarily Flooded" (Note 4).
PEMC = Wet Meadow. The Modifier "C" indicates it is "Seasonally Flooded".
PUBGx = Pond. The Special Modifier "x" indicates it is an "excavated" pond. (Note 5).

Is There a Significance to these Wetland Areas?
Yes. The Illinois Interagency Wetland Policy Act of 1989 states that:

830/1-2. Legislative declaration

º 1-2. Legislative declaration. The General Assembly finds and determines that:

(a) In 1818, Illinois contained an estimated 8.2 million acres of wetlands. Based upon preliminary results of the Illinois portion of the National Wetlands Inventory, less than nine percent of the original acres remain.
(b) With the significant loss in acreage, a corresponding loss in the functional values and benefits that wetlands provide has occurred.
(c) Continued loss of Illinois' wetlands may deprive the people of this State of some or all of the benefits which they provide, including:

(1) reducing flood damages by absorbing, storing and conveying peak flows from storms;
(2) improving water quality by serving as sedimentation and filtering basins and as natural biological treatment areas;
(3) providing breeding, nesting, forage and protective habitat for approximately 40 percent of the State's threatened and endangered plants and animals, in addition to other forms of fish, wildlife, waterfowl and shorebirds;
(4) protecting underground water resources and helping to recharge rivers, streams and local or regional underground water supplies;
(5) serving as recreational areas for hunting, fishing, boating, hiking, bird watching, photography and other uses;
(6) providing open space and aesthetic values, particularly in rapidly developing areas;
(7) providing unique educational and research opportunities because of their high diversity of plants and animals, their support for a high incidence of threatened and endangered species, and their function as a natural buffer for rivers, lakes and streams;
(8) supplying nutrients in freshwater food cycles and serving as nursery areas and sanctuaries for young fish; and
(9) helping to protect shorelines from the forces of water erosion.

Did Changes to the Nearby Wetlands Play a Role in the Recent Flooding?
The college comprises nearly 30% of the surface area of 1.5 square miles comprising Glen Ellyn and Wheaton which drains and floods. That area partially drains into Glen Ellyn - COD's Pond #7 (Note 3) and Wheaton's Lake #4. These two bodies of water are shown in the lower left hand corner of the above diagram. Other areas of Glen Ellyn's COD campus drain directly south and into the Foxcroft neighborhood. (Note 1).

COD's campus has large areas that are designated as wetlands and ponds. Yet, some of these areas have been converted to surface parking (asphalt) and additional construction is occurring in the southwest corner of the campus, most notably the CMC buildings and a very large berm running from the southern extreme of the campus and north to the southernmost tip of Lake #3 in Wheaton.

I suspect these constructions have placed additional stress on an area which periodically floods the neighborhoods to the south. In a recent post I documented the alteration of the natural path of water flow so that it now goes from the campus and westward into Lakes #3 and #4 in Wheaton. Is this "Failure by design?"

During the April 18 rainfall event Wheaton's Lake #3 overtopped. On the western portion of the campus, COD's Pond #7 overtopped; it's on College property and within the boundaries of Glen Ellyn. As water from the north and east inundated Pond #7 and Lake #4, these exceeded capacity as they always do in extreme rainfalls, and homes to the south were flooded, as they sometimes are during these types of rainfall events.

This year, the flooding seemed to be more extensive. On April 18 our association experienced a fast flowing stream along its eastern property line and bordering the College of DuPage. The southwest corner of the campus flooded areas to the south, and Wheaton's Lake #4 also overflowed (overtopped) it's berm. These events were overshadowed on April 20 by a leak in the berm on the south side Lake #4. All water from that leak drained into the storm sewer adjacent to the leak. The City of Wheaton has determined that the cause of the leak was a failed plug in a concrete drain pipe. There was no "sand boil." But, at the time, that could not be known, and prudence prevailed.

Here's what the videos, photographs and eyewitness accounts indicate. The April 18 flood on Brentwood Lane began with the overtopping of COD's Pond #7. As this was occurring additional water flowed into the south of the campus. Wheaton's Lake #3 overtopped and these streams (CODs and Lake #3 overflow) joined to flow south. As this combined stream continued south toward Lake #4 it was joined by the overflow of COD's Pond #9. The levels of both Pond #7 and Lake #4 continued to increase and the width of the overtopping of Pond #7 increased to include Lake #4. The overtopping was into the Brentwood neighborhood of Wheaton. This overtopping occurred because water flows downhill and because of the joining of overflow streams from COD south of the M building, COD's Pond #9, Wheaton's Lake #3, COD's Pond #7 and Lake #4. (Note 2).

The overtopping of Pond #7 was documented by an alert neighbor and a photo was posted on May 6. That photo is also included in this post. It shows the initial overtopping, which then grew and extended to the east and west. Wheaton's study of 1997 stated that this type of overtopping may be "200 to 400" feet in length.

COD's property retains so little water that as I remarked in a recent correspondence to Dr. Breuder, the President of COD, that the College is drilling one well on the campus to provide water for watering landscaping, decorative ponds and waterfalls. It is planning a second well and wants to install a large water tower! (Reference, 2012 DuPage County Zoning Commission Hearings).

I am unaware of any study prepared by the College of DuPage or the Village of Glen Ellyn which is as thorough as the one commissioned by Wheaton in 1997 and released to the public. That, and politics, may be why COD and Glen Ellyn have escaped scrutiny for this problem in recent years. That pattern seems to be repeating. I suspect the City of Wheaton, which authorized the preparation of the 1997 study, probably feels that "no good deed goes unpunished."

How Extensive are COD's the Wetlands?
There have been some questions raised in recent years about the wetlands and lakes in this immediate area.

So what areas are designated "wetlands" in our immediate vicinity?  You can go to the Fish and Wildlife Service, or to the USA National Wetlands Inventory to find out. I've included links at the end of this post.

Here is a current map overlayed with COD's Glen Ellyn campus; this shows the entire campus and Wheaton's Lakes #3 and 4. Not all recent campus construction is shown. For example, the CMC building is not shown. It is located immediately north of the "Freshwater emerging wetland" on the southwest corner of the campus. The light green areas "PEMA" and "PEMC" are "Freshwater Emergent Wetland" and the dark grey areas "PUBGx" are "freshwater ponds"  (clicking on the image will enlarge it):

As you can see in the above, Briarcliffe Lakes #3 and 4 are classified "freshwater ponds" while large areas within the COD campus are classified "freshwater emergent wetland." COD's newly constructed "pond 9" to the immediate north of the "pond 7" area is adjacent to the small "Freshwater Emergent Wetland."

Here are some of the areas of these ponds and wetlands:

• Lake 3 = 4.72 acres freshwater pond
• Lake 4 = 6.15 acres freshwater pond
• COD's Pond 7 area (Note 3) = 7.59 acres emergent wetland
• COD's area near Pond 9 = 0.83 acres emergent wetland
• COD Pond to the East of the M building =  2.92 acres freshwater pond
• COD Ponds immediately east of [Lambert] = 1.76 + 2.7 + 0.38 acres "freshwater ponds"
• COD Wetlands immediately east of [Lambert] and including parking = 10.65 acres "freshwater emergent wetlands"

There are additional wetlands and ponds in the overlay above, as per the USA National Wetlands Inventory.

Initial overtopping at Glen Ellyn - COD Pond #7 on April 18. The overflow in this photo expanded in width, became higher and larger (200 to 400 feet wide?) as it expanded  into Wheaton's Lake #4:

Here are some links for sources. Note that these may require the use of Internet Explorer:

Clicking will open a  New Window> US Fish and Wildlife Service

Clicking will open a  New Window> US National Wetlands Inventory

Clicking will open a  New Window> Illinois Wtlands Polid\cy Act - 1989

Clicking will open a  New Window> Illinois Department of Natural Resources - Wetlands

Clicking will open a  New Window> College of DuPage natural Areas





Notes:

1. The area which drains as well as other aspects of the flooding is described in the post of May 8, 2013. 
2. I read a May 7 article in the Chicago Tribune with the title "Wheaton will fix problem pipe that caused Briarcliffe flooding." I've sent an email to the reporter who authored the article because it contains serious inaccuracies. First, the leaking pipe is not what flooded Briarcliffe. Second, the overtopping of the berms on Pond #7 and Lake #4 is what caused the flooding. Third, the article collapses two separate events. The flooding occurred on April 18. The leak occurred on April 20. I sent photos and a chronology to the reporter. I'll publish that email, etc. here early the morning of April 14.   
3. The area of COD's Pond #7 once had a sign on it. It is the “B.J. Hoddinott Wildlife Sanctuary.” The college acknowledges its existence on its website. Mr. Hoddinott lived in Briarcliffe Lakes Manor Homes and donated funds to the college for the preservation of this area. According the college it is one of four natural areas on the campus “This nine-acre natural area is primarily a marsh and wetland that was dedicated as a preserve in 1983. There are no trails through this area.”


4. Wet meadows are "characterized by moist to saturated soils with standing water present for only brief to moderate periods during the growing season. Vegetation includes a wide variety of herbaceous species, from sedges and rushes to forbs and grasses. Woody vegetation, if present, accounts for less than 30% of the total area cover. Wet meadows were once common through Illinois, but now only small remnants remain. They were often found associated with wetland types, especially at the drier fringes of a lake, pond, or marsh. In some areas, wet meadows are often partially drained and farmed , and therefore lack the vegetation typical of this community. The soils in this community consist of silty and clayey materials in depressional areas. The reaction is typically neutral. The major soils are dominantly wet phases, or undrained phases of Peotone silty clay loam, Rantoul silty clay, Booker clay, Edinburg silty clay loam, Brooklyn silt loam, and Denny silt loam."   Reference: Illinois Department of Natural Resources Wetland Community Descriptions.
5. Ponds are "characterized by the presence of nearly permanent open water a minimum of one-half acre in size to a maximum of 20 acres(8 hectares). Although free of vegetation throughout the non-growing season, floating vascular plants and/or algae often comprise a majority of the vegetation mass during the mid-summer months. Rooted vegetation is generally restricted to the shallows. Bottom sediments consist of mud, sand, cobble, gravel, and organic debris. Many Illinois ponds are man-made and include farm ponds, borrow pits, and small reservoirs, as well as natural open water areas which may occur within a marsh or swamp. The soils of this community consist of silty and loamy materials. Reaction of the materials ranges from strongly acid to moderately alkaline. Typically, ponds are constructed in Ava silt loam, Hosmer silt loam, and Hickory loam in southern Illinois. Some of the larger ponds have Belknap silt loam in the bottom. In central and northern Illinois, the major sloping soils include Fayette silt loam, Miami silt loam, and Morley silt loam. Larger ponds would typically have Lawson silt loam in the bottom." Reference: Illinois Department of Natural Resources Wetland Community Descriptions.