https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Events
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • Magazine
    • Back
    • Digital Editions
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • Advertise
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Events
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • Magazine
    • Back
    • Digital Editions
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • Subscribe to GovPro
    • Manage GovPro Subscription
    • Advertise
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
acc.com


Chicago digs deep to better manage stormwater

Chicago digs deep to better manage stormwater

The $194.5 million Calumet Tunnel, part of the Calumet Tunnel System in Chicago's southern suburbs, was recently completed more than a year ahead of schedule.A
  • Written by American City & County Administrator
  • 1st June 1996

The $194.5 million Calumet Tunnel, part of the Calumet Tunnel System in Chicago’s southern suburbs, was recently completed more than a year ahead of schedule.

A joint venture including Kenny Construction, Wheeling, Ill. (lead contractor); Kiewit Construction, Omaha Neb.; and Shea Construction, Walnut, Calif., built the 11.6-mile tunnel in a project for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC).

The Calumet Tunnel System is one of four legs of the MWRDGC’s Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP) begun in the 1970s and projected to end within the next decade.

Commonly known as Deep Tunnell the plan is the nucleus of the area’s wastewater transference and storage system, designed to control pollution and flooding caused by CSOs in the city and its 51 suburbs, an area covering 375 square miles.

At completion, it will benefit nearly four million people, many of whom have dealt repeatedly with pollution and flooded basements as a result of backed-up sewage and stormwater.

Deep Tunnel, a product of city, county and state efforts, is a system of cavernous tunnels up to 340 feet deep that will intercept stormwater over-flow and channel it to multi-billion gallon storage reservoirs underground. After storms subside, the reservoirs and tunnels can be pumped dry and the water cleaned and discharged into the lake.

“This project was started because we have a system that, when it rains heavily, allows water to wind up in Lake Michigan and in the basements,” says Frank Dalton, the water district’s retired general manager and the originator of TARP.

“In Chicago, there is a law that does not allow pollution in Lake Michigan at any time. The only way you can carry out that mandate is to build a second river system, if you will, and that’s really what Deep Tunnel is all about.”

One of the biggest challenges of tunneling in the city was how to make headway without blasting. Municipal authorities wanted to reduce disruptions in residential areas but also specified a need for tunnels with an unprecedented 35-foot diameter.

Tunnels of this size had never been bored because there were no tunnel boring machines (TBMs) large enough to do the job. On the first TARP project in the late `70s, Kenny shut down preliminary drilling for a month and brought in experts from the Colorado School of Mines to reconfigure existing TBMs for the task, thus eliminating the need for blasting.

The construction company’s effort to keep residents updated on tunneling progress was another unique aspect of the project. Representatives frequently went door-to-door in communities around the Calumet project to inform residents of the project’s status. The MWRDGC now requires all TARP contractors to make similar efforts. After completion of the Calumet Tunnel System, work began on the Des Plaines leg, taking Deep Tunnel one step closer to its ultimate goal. The success of the project in the elimination of flooding will help rid the Chicago area of an historical nemesis.

Tags:

Related


  • The uncertain future of community composting in New York City
    After roughly a decade of service in New York City, the last two community composting sites will not have their leases renewed. These sites are situated on land belonging to the city’s Parks Department: the Lower East Side Ecology Center is at Corlears Hook Park in Lower Manhattan, and Big Reuse is located under the […]
  • Public safety needs a better way to triage emergency calls
    The overarching goal of the public-safety community is to ensure that 911 callers receive the most appropriate emergency response as quickly as possible. Lives often are on the line in an emergency, and every second matters. Achieving a balance between sending the optimal response to an emergency and having it arrive as fast as possible […]
  • Biden’s relief plan includes $350 billion for local and state government
    President-Elect Joe Biden announced a $1.9 trillion relief plan Thursday to combat the COVID-19 crisis and the economic downturn it has caused. In addition to $400 million to combat the pandemic specifically, the proposal includes $350 billion for state, local and tribal governments that would help them to bridge budget shortfalls, help public works maintain […]
  • University procurement department defends campus against COVID-19 pandemic
    University of South Carolina buyers have established multiple personal protection equipment supply sources and online catalogs that hasten ordering

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your American City and County account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • How a unified HR system helps one public safety organization manage crews, payroll, and more in a single platform
  • Fort Bend ISD Meets Student Transportation Needs Safely and Effectively
  • Embracing digital within local government in 2021
  • The 21 neediest American cities in 2021

White papers


How a unified HR system helps one public safety organization manage crews, payroll, and more in a single platform

7th January 2021

Your Roadmap to COVID-19 Funding

18th December 2020

The One Where Everyone Wins: A Mutually Beneficial Contracting Method

10th December 2020
view all

Events


PODCAST


Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

13th October 2020

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

27th July 2020

Young Leaders Episode 2 – Christian Williams – Development Services Planner, Goodyear, Ariz.

1st July 2020
view all

Twitter


AmerCityCounty

The latest episode The Young Leaders Podcast focuses on Cyril Jefferson. Cyril is the youngest African American to… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

27th October 2020
AmerCityCounty

Hillsboro, Oregon is pioneering a new #renewableenergy generation technology through a partnership with… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

27th October 2020
AmerCityCounty

The impact of the #COVID19 pandemic on #telework was swift and profound. Now, the big question is whether – and to… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

26th October 2020
AmerCityCounty

Get ready for the can't-miss webinar on how to kickstart your efficiency improvement plan with Luke Anderson of… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

26th October 2020
AmerCityCounty

Among all states headed into the 2020 general election, which ones have voting populations that are the most demogr… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

26th October 2020
AmerCityCounty

We want to hear from you! Share your thoughts in our readership survey to help us shape future content so that we c… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

23rd October 2020
AmerCityCounty

See how cities different approaches to distribute masks in their communities >> spr.ly/6010GAPLa

23rd October 2020
AmerCityCounty

While #facialrecognition is a powerful tool that can improve law enforcement efficiency, that doesn’t necessarily t… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

23rd October 2020

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2021 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X