{"id":5063950,"date":"2025-06-23T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/illatinonews.com\/?p=5063950"},"modified":"2025-06-23T08:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T08:00:00","slug":"solutions-to-an-illinois-citys-flooding-issue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/2025\/06\/23\/solutions-to-an-illinois-citys-flooding-issue\/","title":{"rendered":"Solutions to an Illinois City’s Flooding Issue"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Following months of research, canvassing, and listening to community needs, journalists, including Britton Struthers-Lugo, produced solutions-based stories about the challenges faced by the Berwyn community.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Part 1,\u00a0Sudden Storms Sweep the Streets of Berwyn: Residents Grapple with Urban Flooding<\/a><\/em>, Struthers-Lugo examined the issue of urban flooding, a growing concern for residents and infrastructure in Berwyn.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the next and final part of the special report, she investigates the many approaches that the city’s local government can take to mitigate urban flooding for its residents, including green alleys.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/em>Basements filled with murky storm and sewer water, or back alleys riddled with standing water. These are some of the images that Berwyn\u2019s urban flooding problem evokes for residents who needto deal with it. What is local government doing to help residents protect their homes from rising waters? And how can residents take control to mitigate damage from excess runoff and sewer backups?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mitigation efforts and setbacks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As made clear by the 2018 Stormwater Plan<\/u>, there are many approaches Berwyn\u2019s local government can take to mitigate urban flooding for its residents. One of the effective ones has been green alleys. As opposed to regular alleys, green alleys are built with sustainable materials, such as pervious pavements. Green alleys allow for better stormwater drainage, as standing water is more likely to sink into the permeable ground rather than drain into someone\u2019s basement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The left is a photo of a green alley located at the 3700 block of Cuyler after heavy rain. The right is a photo of a normal alley at the 3700 block of Lombard after the same rainfall. Credit: Joshua Bowman<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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While green alleys can improve standing water in Berwyn, and this is something local government is looking to continually implement, they\u2019re expensive and time-consuming to construct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBerwyn has 655 alleys,\u201d said Robert Schiller, Berwyn\u2019s Director of Public Works. \u201cNot all of them will qualify for a green alley.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is because a green alley can only be implemented somewhere with permeable soil that will allow for water absorption, and it\u2019s up to Schiller and his team to test that. Soil testing isn\u2019t the only hurdle to implementing more green alleys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe cost for a green alley is about $360,000, and that’s one 600-foot alley. So, yeah, it’s a very long and slow process going through and applying. You apply for a grant, you get maybe a million dollars or a million three or something to that effect. Then we have our match. So we might get four, maybe five alleys done,\u201d said Schiller, \u201cTo have the funding to be able to go through and do all that you need to do would be great, but it’s unrealistic to expect to get, you know, $70, $80, $90 million, $100 million for a community of 57,000 to install green alleys.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This doesn\u2019t mean green alleys are a dead end; members of local government, such as Alderman-elect Joshua Bowman, are looking to find ways to overcome these challenges, and of course, the MWRD will still work in collaboration with Berwyn to provide funding for these types of projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe consistently and are constantly applying for grant funding for various types of stormwater mitigation,\u201d Schiller confirms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the meantime, local government has given agency to the individual homeowner to mitigate flooding in their homes with the Residential Flood Mitigation Shared Cost Program<\/u>. This program provides a grant to homeowners who wish to install a flood control system – this can come in several forms, such as a backflow prevention device or check valve. The program is designed to reimburse the costs of installation with a city grant that covers up to $3,500.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, these flood control systems are often much more expensive than a few thousand dollars to install.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere’s a lot of concern from people that the overall cost is going to be so high that even with the offsetting grant that they can’t absorb the cost,\u201d said South Berwyn resident Karin Nangreave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Micah Caldwell, Berwyn resident and 1st Ward Alderman, said he spent around $15,000 to install an overhead sewer system, one of the options for homeowners who take advantage of the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, now may be the best time to take advantage of the Shared Cost Program, as the American Rescue Plan has recently dedicated $500,000<\/u> to subsidize the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that, through the Shared Cost Program, a resident can receive an upfront grant of $4,000 to install a flood mitigation device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf it\u2019s a backflow prevention device with a sump pump, electric discharge bypass pump, they would get $4,000 credit through the ARPA funds from the grant. And then after that, you take the balance of what\u2019s owed and you get 50% of that up to $3,500 from the city,\u201d said Schiller.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, city officials understand that, despite these extra funds incentivizing the program, the Flood Mitigation Shared Cost Program may still be too expensive for residents to pursue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, where is the middle ground? Something cost-effective and sustainable in the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A green solution: trees and native species<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTrees are the simplest solution, and the cheapest,\u201d said Alicia Ruiz, former 6th Ward Alderman and Aldermanic Co-Chair of the Department of Public Works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specifically, the focus is on planting more native species around Berwyn to help mitigate flooding. Even the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests trees and native species as a viable method to reduce runoff (while also removing harmful pollutants in water at the same time).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This figure shows how an urban tree absorbs water and can impact flooding and water quality. Source: https:\/\/host10.viethwebhosting.com\/~cwsp\/docs\/Urban_Tree_Canopy_EP_Report_WQGIT_approved_final.pdf<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As per the U.S. Forest Service\u2019s guidance<\/u><\/a>, there are four main ways in which increased canopy can reduce runoff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c1) Through evapotranspiration, trees draw moisture from the soil ground surface, thereby increasing soil water storage potential. 2) Leaves, branch surfaces, and trunk bark intercept and store rainfall, thereby reducing runoff volumes and delaying the onset of peak flows. 3) Root growth and decomposition increase the capacity and rate of soil infiltration by rainfall and reduce overland flow. 4) Tree canopies reduce soil erosion by diminishing the impact of raindrops on barren surfaces.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In short, native plants have very deep root systems that permeate the ground and can better absorb rainwater. There are several other benefits to planting native species, including improving air quality, mitigating erosion, and preserving local ecosystems, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, Berwyn resident and founder of Spoke Pockette Farm, Julia Klee, has witnessed the benefits of native species firsthand. Klee noticed a pattern of excess water built up in a cement alley that sits between her and her neighbor\u2019s house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen we got a really bad rain,\u201d Klee said, \u201cIt almost went into my neighbor\u2019s window.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In reaction, Klee built a pocket forest<\/u><\/a> in her yard. A pocket forest is a densely planted collection of trees and shrubs; they have a host of benefits, including carbon sequestering and runoff reduction. As it exists now, Klee has around 25 native trees in her forest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat’s keeping water out of the alley. Anytime it rains and floods, there’s zero flooding right there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Klee now manages her business, Spoke Pockette Farm, and helps her neighbors and clients plant gardens with more native species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI want to make sure this is accessible for people,\u201d said Klee. \u201cThe cost of labor and just the work of doing the install is prohibitive for a lot of people right now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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