Pact would mean more flood control, upgrades to Buffalo Creek preserve
A collaboration that began more than 30 years ago could be reactivated with substantial benefits for visitors to the Buffalo Creek Forest Preserve in southern Lake County.
Properties downstream of the preserve near Lake-Cook and Arlington Heights roads also would see additional flood relief as a result of a pending agreement between the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and the Lake County Forest Preserve District.
The agreement would allow the water reclamation district to expand a reservoir basin east of Schaeffer Road that was built in the 1980s to reduce flooding.
In return for building on forest preserve property, the water district would build more than $3.5 million worth of public access improvements at Buffalo Creek including a new 1.2-mile stone trail, seven boardwalks, two scenic overlooks and a 30-car expansion of the existing parking lot.
About half a mile of existing stone trail in a flood-prone area would be relocated, and a loop would be created for hikers and bikers to connect with a path already extended by Long Grove. Nineteen acres of wetland and 35 acres of prairie/savanna would be added as part of the restoration work.
Construction could begin in the fall, with completion expected in early summer 2018.
Randy Seebach, the forest district's director of planning and land preservation, described the pact as a big deal because of the flood prevention and added public access. He presented the proposal Monday to two forest board committees, with a third scheduled later in the week. The full board will consider the agreement June 14.
“It's a year and a half worth of construction,” Seebach said. “We feel really good about this.”
Background provided to committee members showed Buffalo Grove and the water reclamation district entered into an agreement in 1973 and amended it in 1984. Provisions called for the forest district to acquire the land now known as Buffalo Creek Forest Preserve, and the water district was granted an easement across a portion of the property to build the flood control reservoir.
Various expansion plans since have been considered. A proposal in 2006 stopped due to cost issues and available federal funds. The forest district at the time insisted the basin have a natural look.
In 2012, when the forest district approached the water reclamation district for review and approval of the second part of public access improvements, the reclamation district offered to build the improvements in exchange for the expansion.
The existing basin would be drained and enlarged on the west and northwest sides, with the completed grading providing a natural appearance.
In addition to the improvements, Seebach said, the reclamation district would reimburse the forest district $148,000 for work on the expansion plans and would repave the existing parking lot, a value of $55,000.