The Country Club Highlands neighborhood experienced recurring flooding at the Emroy Avenue and Victory Parkway intersection, repeatedly causing damage to nearby homes and raising long standing safety concerns. The Village needed a clear understanding of the system deficiencies and a reliable engineering solution to reduce peak flooding during intense storms. Our team was selected to evaluate the drainage network, model storm performance, design the improvements, and support the community’s grant funding efforts. The resulting project delivered meaningful flood relief and was recognized with both the APWA Chicago Metro Chapter (Suburban Branch) and Chicago Metro Chapter’s Project of the Year award in the category of Environment – less than $25 Million.

KEY CONTRIBUTIONS:

Assessment of Recurring Flooding Issues
We began by evaluating the chronic flooding at Emroy Avenue and Victory Parkway, examining how stormwater moved through the existing system and identifying conditions contributing to structural and property damage.

Creation of a Detailed XP‑SWMM Model
Our team developed a comprehensive hydrologic and hydraulic model of the drainage network, simulating both past and design storm events to understand where and why the system failed.

Diagnosis of System Deficiencies
Through modeling and field review, we confirmed that storm sewers and inlets were undersized, a rear‑yard sewer had failed, and no defined overland flow path existed, all of which limited the system’s ability to convey runoff to Addison Creek Tributary No. 4.

Engineering of Drainage System Improvements
We designed storm sewer upgrades that increased conveyance capacity and lowered peak water surface elevations, directly addressing the causes of flooding during short, intense rain events.

Preparation of Engineering Plans & Documents
Our team produced the preliminary and final engineering plans, along with all construction documents needed to advance the project from design to implementation.

Benefit‑Cost Analysis for FEMA Funding
To strengthen the County’s grant application, we completed a benefit‑cost analysis using FEMA software, demonstrating the economic advantage of reducing recurring flood losses.