Farmers Creek Project – Illinois

This urban flood control project, administered by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) in Cook County, focused on flood mitigation along Prairie Creek, a tributary of Farmer’s Creek. Improvements included channel modifications, enlargement of retention ponds at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, and upgrades to culverts and bridges throughout the watershed.

Engineering for Flood Mitigation
DB Sterlin performed hydraulic analyses using unsteady HEC-RAS modeling for Prairie Creek and Autodesk Storm and Sanitary Analysis (SSA) for the Dempster Street storm sewer system, which utilizes split flows from Prairie Creek. Our team also prepared technical reports documenting analyses, alternative evaluations, and recommended solutions for long-term flood management.

Coordinating Urban Flood Mitigation
Coordination with local agencies was required to integrate flood mitigation measures with existing urban infrastructure. Improvements to the downstream Prairie Creek channel and stormwater infrastructure enhanced conveyance capacity throughout the watershed while reducing flood risk.

Building for the Future
Through advanced modeling and design, the project strengthened watershed management and improved stormwater capacity along the Dempster Street corridor and the Prairie Creek/Farmers Creek watershed.