CHICAGO | General Developments - Page 2140

SolarWind · #**42781** Posted **Sep 13, 2018, 2:42 AM**

September 12, 2018

SolarWind · #**42782** Posted **Sep 13, 2018, 2:43 AM**

September 12, 2018

phanta721 · #**42783** Posted **Sep 13, 2018, 1:31 PM**

west-town-brad · #**42784** Posted **Sep 13, 2018, 1:51 PM**

Question, what is this:

Is this a storm or sewer water cistern? I've seen similar structures built at other sites...

k1052 · #**42785** Posted **Sep 13, 2018, 3:03 PM**

Stormwater detention. Product is called StormTrap I think.

west-town-brad · #**42786** Posted **Sep 13, 2018, 3:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by k1052

Stormwater detention. Product is called StormTrap I think.

Cool. Is this a newer part of the building code or only applicable for larger footprints?

k1052 · #**42787** Posted **Sep 13, 2018, 4:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by west-town-brad

Cool. Is this a newer part of the building code or only applicable for larger footprints?

Required for larger developments by city stormwater ordinance I think to meet certain allowable discharge rates. Seen a few of these going in at bigger projects.

the urban politician · #**42788** Posted **Sep 13, 2018, 4:16 PM**

^ How does it work? I imagine it holds a large volume of water after a storm and allows such water to discharge into the city's sewer line at a controlled rate? Just my novice guess here...

Obviously out in the suburbs they force new subdivisions to create their own "ponds" for stormwater runoff, but that's not possible in the city, so I have always wondered how they handle this in urban environments

left of center · #**42789** Posted **Sep 13, 2018, 4:27 PM**

Wow, that is interesting. I too wondered why the city is so well drained (well, West Town at least) as compared to many burbs, especially since all downspouts and drains go directly into the sewers (something a lot of suburbs are now banning, and forcing homeowners to disconnect from the sewers and allow the rainwater to soak in the ground instead). This seems to answer that question.

Hopefully with the Deep Tunnel reservoirs coming online, the entire metro sees a lot less flooding overall.

Via Chicago · #**42790** Posted **Sep 13, 2018, 4:59 PM**

deep tunnel already cant keep up with the increased intensity and frequency of storms we are having, and projected to have moving forward. the city should be moving far more aggressively to implement/require permeable parking lots, alleys, bioswales, etc

west-town-brad · #**42791** Posted **Sep 13, 2018, 5:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

deep tunnel already cant keep up with the increased intensity and frequency of storms we are having, and projected to have moving forward. the city should be moving far more aggressively to implement/require permeable parking lots, alleys, bioswales, etc

My newish condo building (8-units from 2016) has half of our roof topped by a green-roof system designed to reduce rain runoff. I'm not sure if this was required by the city or not...

left of center · #**42792** Posted **Sep 13, 2018, 5:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

deep tunnel already cant keep up with the increased intensity and frequency of storms we are having, and projected to have moving forward. the city should be moving far more aggressively to implement/require permeable parking lots, alleys, bioswales, etc

My understanding is that the largest reservoir still isn't fully online, and won't be until sometime in the mid 2020s. The 10 billion gallon McCook reservoir went online last year and can currently hold only one third of its total capacity. In total, TARP currently has a 10 billion gallon capacity, and will have another 7 billion (for a total of 17 billion) by next decade.

It's already saved billions in flooding costs since the Thornton reservoir went online in the mid 2000's. My parent's basement in near west suburban Riverside used to flood almost every year or two, almost like clockwork. It hasn't flooded since 2006, when the first reservoir opened.

Climate change will obviously put additional stress on the system, as it will for every other city in the world; that notwithstanding it's performing admirably given the current climatic conditions, even while operating at only 60% of its future capacity.

I fully agree that the city needs to more aggressively pursue any other flood mitigating tool it can wield as well. Permeable allies and parking lots should be a requirement for any and all development going forward immediately.

k1052 · #**42793** Posted **Sep 13, 2018, 5:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ How does it work? I imagine it holds a large volume of water after a storm and allows such water to discharge into the city's sewer line at a controlled rate? Just my novice guess here...

Obviously out in the suburbs they force new subdivisions to create their own "ponds" for stormwater runoff, but that's not possible in the city, so I have always wondered how they handle this in urban environments

Yeah I think in this configuration that's what it does.

k1052 · #**42794** Posted **Sep 13, 2018, 5:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by left of center

My understanding is that the largest reservoir still isn't fully online, and won't be until sometime in the mid 2020s. The 10 billion gallon McCook reservoir went online last year and can currently hold only one third of its total capacity. In total, TARP currently has a 10 billion gallon capacity, and will have another 7 billion (for a total of 17 billion) by next decade.

It's already saved billions in flooding costs since the Thornton reservoir went online in the mid 2000's. My parent's basement in near west suburban Riverside used to flood almost every year or two, almost like clockwork. It hasn't flooded since 2006, when the first reservoir opened.

Climate change will obviously put additional stress on the system, as it will for every other city in the world; that notwithstanding it's performing admirably given the current climatic conditions, even while operating at only 60% of its future capacity.

I fully agree that the city needs to more aggressively pursue any other flood mitigating tool it can wield as well. Permeable allies and parking lots should be a requirement for any and all development going forward immediately.

McCook phase 2 isn't scheduled to come online until 2029 unfortunately. I think that TARP, as beneficial as it is proving, is undersized to meet the challenge of climate change that seems to be brining more intense rain events. Especially the mainstream portion of the system that has such a large developed area to contend with.

The Lurker · #**42795** Posted **Sep 13, 2018, 8:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by left of center

My understanding is that the largest reservoir still isn't fully online, and won't be until sometime in the mid 2020s. The 10 billion gallon McCook reservoir went online last year and can currently hold only one third of its total capacity. In total, TARP currently has a 10 billion gallon capacity, and will have another 7 billion (for a total of 17 billion) by next decade.

It's already saved billions in flooding costs since the Thornton reservoir went online in the mid 2000's. My parent's basement in near west suburban Riverside used to flood almost every year or two, almost like clockwork. It hasn't flooded since 2006, when the first reservoir opened.

Climate change will obviously put additional stress on the system, as it will for every other city in the world; that notwithstanding it's performing admirably given the current climatic conditions, even while operating at only 60% of its future capacity.

I fully agree that the city needs to more aggressively pursue any other flood mitigating tool it can wield as well. Permeable allies and parking lots should be a requirement for any and all development going forward immediately.

Woah! Careful there!

Also, how will climate change add additional stress to flood prevention infrastructure in all the cities in the world that will experience less rainfall as a result?

left of center · #**42796** Posted **Sep 13, 2018, 10:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Lurker

Woah! Careful there!

Any reason you are against that? I see no problem with replacing toxic asphalt with brick pavers. They are more attractive and better for the environment well beyond simply water drainage issues.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Lurker

Also, how will climate change add additional stress to flood prevention infrastructure in all the cities in the world that will experience less rainfall as a result?

With a warmer atmosphere that will be able to hold much more water vapor and be all the more unpredictable, even cities forecast to become drier in the future are still predicted to get bigger and stronger rainfalls, situations where the majority of their annual precipitation might come in just a handful of powerful storms. Flooding will become a bigger problem globally, regardless of the local climate becoming more arid.

Climatology isn't an exact science, so we really don't know how long term climate effects could potentially turn out. Let's hope we make enough changes now to not find out the hard way.

ithakas · #**42797** Posted **Sep 13, 2018, 11:45 PM**

Here's a rendering of the new Rush facility, which I haven't seen yet.

Source: ChicagoDPD/Twitter

Bonsai Tree · #**42798** Posted **Sep 14, 2018, 1:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by left of center

My understanding is that the largest reservoir still isn't fully online, and won't be until sometime in the mid 2020s. The 10 billion gallon McCook reservoir went online last year and can currently hold only one third of its total capacity. In total, TARP currently has a 10 billion gallon capacity, and will have another 7 billion (for a total of 17 billion) by next decade.

It's already saved billions in flooding costs since the Thornton reservoir went online in the mid 2000's. My parent's basement in near west suburban Riverside used to flood almost every year or two, almost like clockwork. It hasn't flooded since 2006, when the first reservoir opened.

Climate change will obviously put additional stress on the system, as it will for every other city in the world; that notwithstanding it's performing admirably given the current climatic conditions, even while operating at only 60% of its future capacity.

I fully agree that the city needs to more aggressively pursue any other flood mitigating tool it can wield as well. Permeable allies and parking lots should be a requirement for any and all development going forward immediately.

The Deep tunnel system, while an admirable attempt to control flooding, was never really going to be the long lasting solution to flood control. We can't keep creating more deep tunnels and reservoirs. They are simply too expensive, and take way too long to create. If anything, the Deep Tunnel simply avoided the problem until later. Eventually, the city, and the surrounding suburbs will have to make decisions that won't be crafted from a Civil Engineer's daydream.

Your parent's basement will flood again, it's just a matter of time. A possible solution to this, (and to your parents flooding) is to get rid of the traditional front yard. I think that every front yard in the city should have at least some sort of native plantings in order to absorb rainwater. That, is a solution that is long lasting, cheaper, and better for the environment.

I realize you said we do need to speed up permeability, but I don't think new projects will fix this alone. Every street, every sidewalk, and parking lot should be permeable. It may sound drastic, but even now we can't dare rely on the deep tunnel system. A reliance on the deep tunnel system would simply give us a false sense of security.

Mikemak27 · #**42799** Posted **Sep 14, 2018, 1:37 AM**

The city needs to make sure trees that have died in the parkway are replaced ASAP. Trees that love water like the Pin Oak and Red Maple should be selected.

PittsburghPA · #**42800** Posted **Sep 14, 2018, 3:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ithakas

Here's a rendering of the new Rush facility, which I haven't seen yet.

Source: ChicagoDPD/Twitter

This will be a nice project to replace a parking lot just east of Rush's main hospital (I think) thus further canyon-izing the Eisenhower at the IMD.

It's bitter sweet because this will totally ruin one of my favorite views of the city, from the Rush parking garage looking east.