Des Plaines still dealing with fallout from flood

Flooding issues still dominated the Des Plaines City Council meeting Monday night, almost a month after floodwaters from the Des Plaines River inundated a portion of the city.

First Ward Alderman Patricia Beauvais expressed concern about an anonymous flier blaming this year's flooding on Levy 50 and the new riverwalk.

"The flier claimed that last month's rainfall was identical to a storm that occurred in 2004 and that the flooding this time was caused by Levy 50 and the river walk," Beauvais said.

Tim Angell, assistant director of community and economic development, responded, explaining that the 2004 storm dropped 8.5 feet of rain on the city whereas this storm dropped 10 feet of water. The extra foot and a half of rain caused the difference, he said.

"While Levy 50 does protect the east side of the river, it has zero impact on the flooding on the west side," Angell said.

The project actually increased the channel section of the river to make up for some of the floodplain that is no longer available for overflow, Angell added.

"Levy 50 actually expanded the river by 50 feet," said Mayor Tony Arredia. "The Army Corps would never allow something to be built that would infringe on the west side of the river or on those further south."

Arredia then went on to urge residents and small business owners who were impacted by the recent flooding to check the city Web site, cityofdesplaines.org, this week for information on how they can file their FEMA claims.

In addition, he announced that one of the most flood-prone areas of the city, the historic Methodist Campground located at River and Algonquin Roads, should suffer less damage in the future thanks to a FEMA grant the city has received for elevating the structures there onto cement pilings.

"It took us two years to get this $402,000 grant, but our intention is to apply again and again until we can elevate all of those properties," Arredia said. "My hope is that this will affect our flood insurance dollars and have a major impact on Des Plaines."

City manager Jason Bajor said after the meeting that while he is not sure what impact the improvements at the campground will have on the city's flood insurance premiums, he knows that it will have a major impact on the staff time expended in cleaning up and mitigating unsafe conditions in that area every time there is flooding.