ronk Posted September 15, 2009 Report Share Posted September 15, 2009 The Plainfield Sun reports that in response to The Dupage R's flooding of homes near the river during last spring's deluges the federal government thru the army corps of enginners has agreed to become involved in finding & enacting solutions. Good news for homeowners who buy homes within shouting distance of a river and then damn the river for flooding them but likely bad news for the river's inhabitants & those of us who enjoy it recreationally.I attended a town hall meeting in Plainfield last spring which led to this result.Some of the residents near the canoe launch at 135th vehemently claimed that it made flooding worse though they didn't explain how. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonn Graham Posted September 15, 2009 Report Share Posted September 15, 2009 Simple solution. No one in Illinois should be able to build a home within a 1/4 mile of any river. Seems simple to me. Homes would not be flooded and the river's bank could be left undisturbed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev-mo Posted September 15, 2009 Report Share Posted September 15, 2009 Simple solution. No one in Illinois should be able to build a home within a 1/4 mile of any river. Seems simple to me. Homes would not be flooded and the river's bank could be left undisturbed. Amen! Should be more depending on the topography but that's a good start. Perhaps someone wiser than me can answer this. How exactly does a dam alleviate or prevent flooding? Seems to me that a dam creates a pool. Then when we get a lot of rain that pool just fills up with water. Doesn't the Kank flood due to the big ice dam by 55. Haven't we had enough experience worldwide with hydrology to realize that dams and channeling create more problems not mention wrecking the ecosystem(s). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve S. Posted September 15, 2009 Report Share Posted September 15, 2009 Simple solution. No one in Illinois should be able to build a home within a 1/4 mile of any river. Seems simple to me. Homes would not be flooded and the river's bank could be left undisturbed. Or build at your own risk, but still it should be far enough off the shore so as to not impact the waterway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Ferguson Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 When you take land that was once about 90% farmland and pave over most of it, water that used to be absorbed by fields and wood lots now runs straight to the river with little to slow it down. The people who are complaining are the problem. All these new drive ways, and roof tops of their new homes, along with the roads and parking lots have created the flooding. Not much chance of reversing the development. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Clifford Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 Are you aware that IL is one of the nation's most flood-prone states? It costs the State more than $250 Million a year. You need to see Senate Bill 1909 to understand what this means for development in IL floodplains. Gov. Quinn recently issued an "amendatory veto" on this Bill, as it sets up a mechanism for public financing of large commercial developments in blighted urban areas. What's the problem? It includes the ludicrous provision that eligible projects must be at least partly located in floodplains. There are 3 possible outcomes here: 1) Legislators take no action (killing the Bill) 2) Adopt Quinn's amendment (enacting it as amended) He has requested lower subsidies than the Bill sponsor (James Clayborne) has proposed. 3) Override the amendment. Enacting the Bill as originally proposed. Option 1 would kill the bill, though it is expected that options 2 or 3 are more likely outcomes. In the run up to the Veto Session, you can make a difference. Contact the Governor to let him know you expect a more stringent case for IL rivers and streams. 217/782-0244 or 312/814-2121 Contact the General Assembly Members below: James Clayborne: 618/875-1212 Rep. Tom Holbrook 618/394-2211 John Cullerton 773/883-0700 Michael Madigan 773/581-8000 Ask them to show leadership in removing the irresponsible mandate for floodplain development in the STAR Bonds Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve S. Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 When you take land that was once about 90% farmland and pave over most of it, water that used to be absorbed by fields and wood lots now runs straight to the river with little to slow it down. The people who are complaining are the problem. All these new drive ways, and roof tops of their new homes, along with the roads and parking lots have created the flooding. Not much chance of reversing the development. There has been a little movement on the commercial and public side of the construction business due to new LEED program requirements, call it part of the "green initiative" I guess. I am seeing more effort being put into designing and developing sites that manage their stormwater onsite by draining it through permeable pavements into granular basins until it can dissipate into the groundwater "naturally". This has led to a reduction in onsite storm sewer system requirements and reduces or eliminates the need for retention or detention ponds, which in turn reduce the amount of water being introduced into the municipal system. It's a small step with a lot of cost balancing done by the developers and contractors, but it seems to be gaining some strength. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Clifford Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 Great point, Steve. I'm in the commercial construction business and have seen the good and bad points of the LEED program standards up close and personal. Victories are victories. Our company actually won a green award for their newest office built in Indiana. I'm hopeful that many of the top commercial companies like ours are following a green agenda. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim bielecki Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 Are you aware that IL is one of the nation's most flood-prone states? It costs the State more than $250 Million a year. You need to see Senate Bill 1909 to understand what this means for development in IL floodplains. Gov. Quinn recently issued an "amendatory veto" on this Bill, as it sets up a mechanism for public financing of large commercial developments in blighted urban areas. What's the problem? It includes the ludicrous provision that eligible projects must be at least partly located in floodplains. There are 3 possible outcomes here: 1) Legislators take no action (killing the Bill) 2) Adopt Quinn's amendment (enacting it as amended) He has requested lower subsidies than the Bill sponsor (James Clayborne) has proposed. 3) Override the amendment. Enacting the Bill as originally proposed. Option 1 would kill the bill, though it is expected that options 2 or 3 are more likely outcomes. In the run up to the Veto Session, you can make a difference. Contact the Governor to let him know you expect a more stringent case for IL rivers and streams. 217/782-0244 or 312/814-2121 Contact the General Assembly Members below: James Clayborne: 618/875-1212 Rep. Tom Holbrook 618/394-2211 John Cullerton 773/883-0700 Michael Madigan 773/581-8000 Ask them to show leadership in removing the irresponsible mandate for floodplain development in the STAR Bonds Bill. Hi Mike, I'm way ahead of you...I wrote and emailed already several times to the governor. I do it as much as I can. I'm not sure if my opinion matters to our legislatures; I would hope it does since I am an active voter. I'll be sure to call those you listed. I too agree that the homeowners who choose to build near a body of water are putting themselves in harm's way. Should the government be responsible for every home a person builds in a hurricane prone location? How many homes does a person have to lose before they get the idea that it's a bad idea? The danger is there, but yet people put up homes anyway. The people building these homes should be held accountable for the damage it does to our rivers and water ways due to their ignorance. This isn't difficult too understand...remember the story of the 3 little pigs? Seems to be common sense, however, people are willing to pay a lot of money to have water front property regardless of the risks. Also, for anyone who has walked in a flooded prarie, you know that the land absorbs a ton of water. It is actually filtered through the prarie and leaches back into the river. This is the natural order of the water cycle. With the removal of the praries, wetlands and the development of civilization, all of this drastically interferes with the health and stability of the river. I'm going to keep on advocating for conservation...I encourage as many ISA members this reaches to do the same. As much as I hate to say it, our natural resources in Illinois IS for sale. There needs to be more people to speak out to support conservation for the government (local or state) to take an active role to protect it. I write almost every week. For those in the Naperville area Judy Biggert is our representative. I now have a 5 month old daughter who is my inspiration to keep working for improving her future. In my own experience, fishing was terrible when I was a kid. Because of clubs like the ISA, I am now fortunate to be catching smallies in parts of the Dupe that never held anything but carp. Thanks for reading this and I hope you become inspired too. 10 minutes of your time and a stamp can make a big difference! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest airbornemike Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 I cringe when I'm fishing and I glance over at the grossly oversized home with multiple sump pump pipes ready to discharge into our rivers, or how the home owners mow there lawns to the very edge of the river, than throw there grass clippings, tree limbs and anything else the dont feel like paying to have hauled away into the river. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonn Graham Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 Dumping grass clippings and limbs into the river really pisses me off. I don't see that around my neck of the woods, but it sure is the "style" on the Dupage. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim bielecki Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 Dumping grass clippings and limbs into the river really pisses me off. I don't see that around my neck of the woods, but it sure is the "style" on the Dupage. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I have seen this both on the Dupe and the Fox. I'm tempted to develop a flyer to deliver to homes along the river. Something that would say it's against the law and please report any violations when you notice any of your neighbors doing this. Maybe add something about the grass isn't the only bad influence...if there are any residues of chemicals such as fertilizer, pesticides and invasive bugs, the bugs travel and the chemicals negatively impact the fish and wildlife that rely on the river as their home. Maybe also add something about supporting the river by planting vegetation near the river bank rather than cutting their lawns all the way to the edge. I would try to keep it positive. What do you guys think? Maybe something to present to the officers of the ISA to have a cohesive approach to this? For those who haven't read this full thread I'm going to paste this again.... Contact the Governor to let him know you expect a more stringent case for IL rivers and streams. 217/782-0244 or 312/814-2121 Contact the General Assembly Members below: James Clayborne: 618/875-1212 Rep. Tom Holbrook 618/394-2211 John Cullerton 773/883-0700 Michael Madigan 773/581-8000 10 minutes of your time and a stamp...lets let 'em hear us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rich mc Posted September 17, 2009 Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 a flyer like that would have more backbone if it was issued by the forest preserve, if we can help in getting it done all the better. before the leaves get dumped in by the wheelbarrel. rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronk Posted September 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2009 Not only do residents dump clippings,leaves into the river but 1 day last year fishing in downtown P'field there was an enormous amount of clippings suddenly floating passed.Way too much to be from 1 homeowner. I followed it to its source.City employees were cutting a field and dumping the clippings. I read their boss the riot act. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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