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Winnetka approves new flood study
Updated: September 11, 2012 11:29PM
WINNETKA
In its ongoing study of flooding problems, the Village Council Thursday night authorized a new expenditure to study another portion of the village.
Trustees OK’d a new study for the area south of Tower Road between the Winnetka Golf Course and Hibbard Road.
The village previously studied the 80-acre plot in 2001, and implemented 10-year design improvements. According to a village document, the village wants to determine what, if any, additional improvements may be needed to increase flood protection in the area.
Village Engineer Steve Saunders said a likely solution would be to hook up to the proposed underground storm water tunnel under consideration.
“As we look forward and at the rest of the village, the council and staff wanted to include this additional area to make sure there were no other large areas of the village left behind,” Saunders said.
A contract not to exceed $17,600 was awarded to Christopher B. Burke Engineering, which has done previous flood study work in other areas of the village.
Burke Engineering will evaluate existing conditions within the area and use a hydraulic model to identify and model conceptual drainage alternatives to provide increased flood protection for 25-, 50- and 100-year storm events. The company will report back with cost estimates for any potential improvements, the same approach used in Burke’s previous studies.
“They will develop a model to see where the system fails,” Saunders said. “One of the things we’re going to do to keep these costs down (is use previous data). We do have good info from the previous drainage studies in terms of surveys that they can rely on.”
Trustee Richard Kates felt the study, which includes land very close to the Winnetka Park District’s golf course and Skokie Playfields, should have been coordination with the park district.
“The ultimate solution relies heavily on the park district as I’m seeing it,” Kates said.
Saunders disagreed, saying the village has no real idea what the potential impact, if any, will be on the park district and their property.
“One simple solution may be a connection to the proposed tunnel system, which would have very minimal impact to the park district,” Saunders said, adding that the village has a “terrific” relationship with park district Executive Director Terry Schwartz and his staff.
Trustees Kates, Jennifer Spinney, Arthur Braun, Stuart McCrary and Patrick Corrigan approved the expense for the study. Trustee Jack Buck was absent.
