Batavia Mahoney Creek Tributary Basins Address Flood Control

Challenge: The City of Batavia needed to address basin issues in the Mahoney Creek Tributary. The area downstream from these basins was plagued by frequent flooding and channel erosion.

Solution: The City partnered with the HR Green team to prepare contract plans, specifications, and permitting for the construction of a new 3.4-acre-foot detention basin and modification of an existing detention basin to provide an additional 4.3 acre-feet to an existing detention pond at the headwaters of Mahoney Creek Tributary. The two basins are hydraulically connected via a 60-inch storm sewer under a Kane County DOT (KDOT) freeway. Coordination with KDOT and the upstream landowner (U.S. Department of Energy) was completed to ensure access via the acquisition of a permanent easement for the construction and maintenance of the basins in perpetuity. Permitting was applied for and obtained from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

HR Green created the concept design and completed modeling for the interactions between the Mahoney Creek Tributary basins and permitted the project. The construction plans were advertised for competitive bidding, and the project design and construction were completed under budget and on schedule.

Benefit: Overall, the Mahoney Creek Tributary project has reduced the peak flow from the 100-year storm by more than 50%. Both basins were restored with native floodplain trees, emergent wetland zones, upland riparian prairies and a meandering low flow channel all focused on improving water quality while achieving the goal of flood control.