DuPage developing strategy to combat flooding

Nearly two years after widespread flooding damaged thousands of DuPage properties, county officials are developing a strategy to better prepare area communities for extreme weather events.

On Wednesday night, the county will sponsor a meeting to inform the public about the plan and get ideas for what it should include.

The East Branch DuPage River Watershed Resiliency Plan will explore ways to fix flooding issues and make towns more resilient. The document will cover the East Branch watershed, which encompasses the central portion of DuPage, extending from Addison into Will County.

"Parts of the county are still recovering from the effects of the April 2013 flood," county board Chairman Dan Cronin said in a statement. "While we assist in that process, we are also trying to find solutions to make communities more resilient for future floods, blizzards, droughts and other weather stressors."

To accomplish that goal, DuPage is enlisting the support of communities to provide information on flooding and quality of life in the area.

This week's meeting is part of that process. The session is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Lisle village hall, 925 Burlington Ave.

Residents and small business owners attending the meeting will have the chance to learn more about the plan and submit ideas and feedback.

An online survey is available through Jan. 23 at http://surveymonkey.com/s/DPCResilience.

"The input we receive from constituents will help us to update our data on both how they were affected by the April 2013 flood," Cronin said, "and where they would like to see their communities 20 years from now."