Elk Grove Village Cleanup – 2020 (Thanks)

The 26th annual EGV Salt Creek clean up was held on Saturday July 11th. There were approximately 50 volunteers with the majority from local scouts. As the water was a bit deeper than usual due to the previous rains, Boy Scout Troop 95 was very adventurous and walked in the creek cleaning out man made debris while the rest of the volunteers walked along the shoreline cleaning up. A large pile of trash was collected and bags were filled with all types of garbage.

This was one of the largest cleanup groups this annual event has drawn in several years. A hearty thank you to all volunteers for a job well done. Sincerely,

Nick Nikola, President SCWN

P.S. To learn about upcoming events or obtain other information about the Salt Creek, look at my Facebook page, "Salt Creek Watershed Network", or check other sections of this website.

Elk Grove Village Cleanup – 2020

Searching for debris

It’s always interesting and fun to go on the Salt Creek Cleanup. I first went in 6th grade and it was disheartening to see how much trash people threw into Salt Creek: bags, beer bottles, hockey pucks, cinder blocks, juice pouches, and iron rods were the most abundant. However, you also get that sense of gratefulness for the large creek wildlife community there. Tadpoles and trout would appear frequently if you knew where to look. And I do feel that 26 years of service has made a difference. My scoutmaster told me years ago the clean-up could take over 3 hours to complete because of how much trash was found. Yet this year we were done inside of 2 and a half and I found much less than I expected compared to 3 years ago. It’s these kind of things that make the difference for even the smallest communities. Looking forward to the 27th Annual Clean-Up next year!

Joey Torelli, Senior Patrol Leader of Troop 95

We support the Salt Creek Master Plan at Fullersburg Woods

Depiction of Graue Mill at Fullersburg Woods after project completion

Current dam and mud flats at Graue Mill

The Salt Creek Watershed Network endorses the master plan to repair and restore the Salt Creek at Fullersburg Woods.    With the population and development boom of the Chicago suburbs in Cook and Dupage Counties, The Fullersburg Woods dam, erected in 1934, has become a direct cause of the worst pollution along the entire watershed, resulting in algae blooms,  a de-oxygenated dead zone, greatly reduced aquatic varieties,  mud flats and invasive plant species.   Especially during dry periods when the water is low, the foul smell and dark appearance of the water behind the dam becomes painfully apparent.     

Recent efforts at dam removals that have already occurred across Chicagoland have significantly improved water quality, flora and fauna while adding natural beauty to the area from stream bank restoration efforts that will accompany the dam removal.   

The professional teams involved, led by the Dupage River Salt Creek Workgroup, have employed extensive experience to develop a plan that incorporates research, data analysis, environmental knowledge and successful track records of other like projects while carefully balancing community outreach input and an awareness to maintain a healthy nostalgic atmosphere wanted by all of us.  Canoeing and kayaking through cleaner water, increasing varieties and quantities of fish to their natural upstream from the dam, and a healthier more natural waterway are just are few of the  benefits rapidly seen elsewhere.       

Opposition coming from the Graue Mill and museum to oppose the Salt Creek claims that the concrete dam is a historic relic that needs to be saved.   In fact, the dammed water has not powered the Graue Mill’s waterwheel for most of the past 30 years.   While we understand and do not discount this sentiment, it is our unanimous position that the many benefits stated above and the successful track record of similar projects in the region far outweigh the perceived drawbacks and therefore have our full support and endorsement. 

More facts and information at: http://restoresaltcreek.org 

Sign the on-line petition: https://act.sierraclub.org/actions/Illinois?actionId=AR0272531

More about benefits of dam removal in Chicagoland at:  http://restoresaltcreek.org/chicago-rivers-a-discussion-on-dam-removals-on-the-des-plaines-fox-dupage-and-chicago-rivers/  

Busse Dam Modification Project – 2020

The Busse Woods Dam Modification Project was completed in March of 2016. Hinged gates were installed in place of the fixed weir dam at the south end of Busse Lake and have been in operation since that time. The dam gates have performed as predicted by the many hydraulic models that were run as part of the engineered modification design. Operation of the gates is tied to an agreement with several other governmental agencies including the landowner, the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, whose main objective is to keep the level of the water surface within Busse Lake as close to constant as possible.

Flooding at two major intersections in the Village was common, with subsequent lane closures lasting 24 to 48 hours prior to the installation of the gates. The flooding was a major disruption to trucks and employees traveling to and from the Elk Grove Business Park, as well as to residents of the Village. Since operation of the hinged gates began, the frequency of lane closures have been drastically reduced and when there have been lane closures, the severity and length of time of the closures have decreased.

The Village performs monthly inspections of the hydraulic equipment associated with the hinged gates, including all the hoses and valves on the closed system. In addition, the Village works with a structural engineering consultant to perform an annual inspection of the dam structure and the gates. During the inspection, the gates are completely opened and closed. Below is a picture of the inspector in a kayak on the downstream side of the dam. The gates are in the closed position to stop the flow of water over the dam so the inspection can be performed. As part of the dam inspection, there is a large valve that is tested which can be seen spraying water in the picture. After the inspection is performed, a detailed report is provided to all governmental agencies involved with the Busse Dam modification project.

Overall, the Village is quite pleased with the operation of the Busse Dam modifications. The gates have been effective in reducing the impact of flooding which is beneficial to commuters, business owners, and residents of Elk Grove Village.

Ronald R. Raphael, P.E.
Engineering Supervisor
Village of Elk Grove Village | Community Development Department
901 Wellington Avenue, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007

Busse Dam Modification Project – 2017 Update

Following flooding events in 2008, which significantly impacted Elk Grove Village, the Village spearheaded a project to improve flood relief capacities of the Busse Woods Reservoir, also known as Busse Lake. Construction of the Busse Dam modification project was completed and operational in March of 2016.

Dam Gates — Downstream

The dam modification consisted of the installation of two hinged gates, which allow for control of the outflow of the upstream reservoir, Busse Lake. During normal operating conditions, the gates will sit at the same elevation as the previous fixed weir dam that was modified as part of this project. The previous fixed weir dam was constructed in the 1970s as a joint project of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the Forest Preserve District of Cook County (FPDCC) and the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) now known as the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). The fixed weir dam that was installed was based on one single rain event. The modification to the dam, using hinged gates, was modeled on more than 150 rain events over 7 decades.

During a storm event, as the water surface elevation of the reservoir rises, the gates are lowered to ensure that the inflow into the reservoir is equal to the outflow. This allows the water level of the reservoir to remain constant. The constant water level in Busse Lake was crucial to the landowner, FPDCC, to help preserve the many sensitive ecological systems in and around the reservoir and to reduce shoreline erosion.

As the water surface elevation of Salt Creek rises downstream of the dam, the gates then rise to store floodwater within Busse Lake. As the storm event subsides, or the reservoir reaches a critical elevation as determined by ecological studies, the gates are then lowered back down to the normal operating elevation. This operating scheme allows the gates to dynamically adjust to each unique rainfall event and maximize storage within the reservoir. The modification project will help to alleviate flooding, not only in Elk Grove Village, but in downstream communities along Salt Creek as well.

Realizing the regional scale of the dam modification project, Elk Grove Village, along with their consultant, collaborated with DuPage County to model the downstream watershed, optimizing the existing flood control facilities operational procedures with the functioning Busse Dam modification. These Model results have provided DuPage County with additional flexibility on how/when to operate their flood control structures and provide an even greater level of flood protection to residents of DuPage County along Salt Creek.

Dam Gates — Upstream

Prior to the project, Elk Grove Village experienced repeated flooding at two major intersections which caused street closures lasting 24 to 48 hours. These closures resulted in major disruptions to residents, as well as to employees and trucks traveling to and from the Elk Grove Business Park, the largest consolidated business park in North America. In addition, the flooding caused closures of three schools and two churches, left hundreds of residents either stranded or unable to access their homes, and cancelled the Village’s 2008 Rotary Festival and Parade.

Since the completion of construction on the project in March of 2016, the Village has experienced at least two rainfall events that would have caused street flooding and intersection closures. The gate operations at the dam successfully mitigated these events with NO on-street flooding.

Ronald R. Raphael, P.E.
Engineering Supervisor
Village of Elk Grove Village | Community Development Department
901 Wellington Avenue, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007

Year-End Review 2016

During 2016 the Salt Creek Watershed Network (SCWN) achieved two major goals of its mission statement.  First, it provided several educational services to the public.  Second, through its very successful cleanup projects, SCWN promoted a higher sense of the value of Salt Creek and Addison Creek.

Riverside-Brookfield High School students proudly display trash collected at one Addison Creek site.

The year began by welcoming a local landscaper who discussed the causes of back yard flooding with area residents and offered various ways to solve those problems.  Later, in an attempt to make our youth aware of the nature around them and the need for a clean environment, children who helped in the late April cleanup took part in most interesting presentations involving fish found in the creek, local reptiles, and identification of bones that may have been found during the cleanup.  Later, in September, SCWN provided an information booth at the Meet the Creek event held in Brookfield.  In addition, SCWN is developing a map that highlights the creek as a valuable recreational resource.

A truckload of trash removed from Salt Creek in Wood Dale

The crowning achievements of the year, however, were three creek cleanups. With the help of student volunteers from Riverside-Brookfield High School, SCWN removed large amounts of trash from the portion of Salt Creek between I-94 and 17th Ave. in North Riverside as well as from the southern part of Addison Creek through an industrial park in Broadview.  Volunteers working with SCWN at two other cleanups along Salt Creek, one in Elk Grove Village and the other in Wood Dale, also deserve much credit.  Large amounts of trash were collected in all three areas making those events both successful and rewarding.

The mission is never fully accomplished, but if SCWN can either match or exceed this year’s efforts, the Salt Creek Watershed in 2017 will become a better place for both people and nature.  And that surely is our ultimate goal.

Philip Wille
Salt Creek Watershed Network

Elk Grove Village Cleanup 2016

The function of Busse Dam is to regulate water levels on Salt Creek at all times so that when heavy rains occur, flooding can be alleviated.  With this in mind, a few days before the cleanup date Elk Grove Village officials contacted Busse Dam authorities to ensure that the dam would not release water while volunteers were in the creek.  Being in the middle of a stream with rising water is not good.

The day started with a little drizzle but the scouts from troops 95 and 41007 were on hand along with two other adults for the 34th cleanup in 22 years.  Seven scouts walked in the creek and picked up what little they could find. The two ladies on land probably found more trash along the banks than those in the water.  Because so little trash was found in the section of the creek we covered, the scoutmaster suggested that next year we should concentrate on a section of the creek further south, namely between Clearmont Drive and Devon Avenue, which has received little cleanup attention in the past.

The good news is that we are not finding as much trash as before.  And that means we can extend our efforts to new areas.

Nick Nikola

Busse Dam Modification Project

Construction Work — Oct. 2015

The Busse Dam modification project will help alleviate flooding in both Cook and DuPage Counties. Elk Grove Village as well as the many communities downstream along Salt Creek will benefit from the reduction in flooding. The project may benefit upwards of one million people who are currently affected when flooding damages property and closes critical intersections. The disruptions during a flood event can cost our region millions in lost commerce and social impacts, such as school closures, church closures and residents unable to access their homes. 

“This project is the culmination of nearly eight years of multi-agency collaboration, engineering studies, modeling, and design work.” said Mayor Craig B. Johnson, “We are excited to be on the cusp of bringing the flood relief sought by Elk Grove Village and communities in the Salt Creek Watershed since the Dam’s original construction in the 1970s.” 

The Busse Woods Reservoir was constructed in 1975 as a joint project of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the Forest Preserve District of Cook County (FPDCC) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to provide flood mitigation downstream along Salt Creek in Elk Grove Village. 

The construction of the Dam created what is now called Busse Lake. The lake serves as a significant recreational amenity of the Forest Preserve District for boating and fishing.  

Busse Woods itself contains several sensitive ecological systems that will benefit from the Dam modification. Following floods in 2008, which significantly impacted Elk Grove Village, the Village revived interest in making the reservoir function better for flood relief purposes while also improving the ecology of the Forest Preserve. At that time, the Village worked closely with the Friends of the Forest Preserves who creatively designed the Dam modification proposal that is nearing construction.

Moreover, the Village worked closely with many governmental entities. Mayor Johnson noted that: 

“This project could not have come to fruition without the assistance of many people. We especially want to thank “Cook County Board President, Toni Preckwinkle, DuPage County Board Chairman, Dan Cronin, General Superintendent of Forest Preserves of Cook County, Arnold Randall, and MWRD of Greater Chicago Executive Director, David St. Pierre, along with many neighboring Mayors and the staff of many Federal, State, and local governmental agencies. Everyone worked together as a team. We all understood the regional benefits of reducing flooding through this project and the ecological improvements associated with the project as well.” 

The Busse Dam modification project consists of two hinged gates, which allow for control of the outflow of the reservoir. During normal operating conditions, the top of the proposed gates will sit at the current fixed weir elevation. During a storm event, as the water surface elevation of Busse Reservoir increases, the gates would be slightly lowered to ensure that the inflow into the reservoir is equal to the outflow, allowing the normal water level of the reservoir to remain constant. As the water surface elevation of Salt Creek downstream rises and maximizes flow within the creek without overbank flooding, the gates would then rise to store floodwater within Busse Lake. As the storm event subsides, or the reservoir reaches a critical elevation as determined by ecological studies, the gates would be lowered back down to the normal operating elevation, allowing the gates to dynamically adjust to each unique rainfall event and maximize storage within the reservoir. 

Elk Grove Village engineers modeled 158 historic rain storm events over the past 7 decades, in which 37 events caused severe, damaging flooding. If the gates had been operational, only 17 events would have resulted in minor flooding downstream, and only a few in damaging flooding.  Benefits for the threatened and endangered species within Busse Woods Forest Preserve are even greater: In all 37 flood events, the gates would have reduced both the severity (depth) of the flooding and the duration of flooding by cutting the flood inundation hours above critical elevations within the preserve in half.

Additional modeling has been performed to optimize the Busse Woods Dam Modification in coordination with downstream flood control structures in DuPage County.  Model results will provide DuPage County with additional flexibility on how/when to operate their flood control structures and provide an even greater level of flood protection to residents of DuPage County along Salt Creek.

Village Staff
Elk Grove Village

Meet the Creek 2015

On Sat Sept 19, 2015 the Brookfield Conservation Commission celebrated their annual festival 'Meet the Creek' along the banks of Salt Creek at Kiwanis Park in Brookfield. This was a free event open to the public and all ages. Special guests included members from the Chicago Herpetological Society which had a chance to show off some of their amazing reptiles. Snakes ranging from a few inches to 10 feet long were put on display without a sign that said "Do Not Touch". The reptiles were friendly and able to interact and play with the children. Imagine the look of a startled parent when their 6 yr old daughter walked up with a full grown Corn snake draped over her shoulders and around her neck and says, "Hey…look at me mom!"  Also on hand was a turtle play pen where kids could get down and play with box turtles and painted turtles. One creature that was kept at a safe distance from the little fingers was a massive Snapper turtle which had a shell the size of a medium pizza, now that guy came with a sign that read —"Do Not Go Near". 

Amy and Steve Sullivan, Conservation board members and nature lovers, were in charge of the event. Steve got up early Saturday morning, cast a net into the creek and caught several dozen fish of different species which he put in a big tank. During the day he explained how you can tell how healthy salt creek is by studying the fish and how important it is to keep the rivers and creeks clean. 

The weather was perfect for the festival but, unfortunately, the heavy rains that fell the night before had Salt Creek at flood stage. The free canoe rides, a big part of the event, had to be cancelled. This was a bit disappointing to many of the parents and children but the face painting booth and nature treasure hunt kept them occupied and interested. Overall, the day was a huge success and Amy & Steve assured us they would be back next year along with the snakes, turtles and canoes.

Tom Longo

SCWN Map Project

(Webmaster’s Note: This project was cancelled August 7, 2017)

SCWN needs your expertise to finalize our latest project.   As a leading information source for all things about Salt Creek, our group has the opportunity to create an informational map, highlighting all of the recreational access areas along the creek.  This map would be used by outdoor enthusiasts who are looking to bike, hike, or access the creek itself using watercraft.   The map would be available for sale via the SCWN web site and at other locations such as outdoor retail outlets.  

The map would create a permanent funding mechanism for SCWN, allowing us to continue to provide information and programs for the benefit of the creek.  

We are in need of interested parties that would form a committee to work toward that goal.  We have already enlisted the services of an environmental consulting company that will create the map, once we gathered all the necessary data.  We also have a graphics designer who has showed interest in creating the overall design.  What we are missing is YOU.  Once we get enough interested people we will hold an informational meeting to determine how to proceed.

Stan Zarnowiecki, Secretary

Salt Creek Watershed Network