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Calumet
City residents that live near the Little Calumet
River may be in a Special Flood Hazard Area. We want you
to be aware of the hazard and what can be done to reduce
flood damage. This information is sent annually to all
properties located in the Special Flood Hazard Area as
delineated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency
and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. It is
part of the City's effort to save residents money by reducing
flood insurance premiums.
For more information on flood hazards, construction rules
or flood protection measures, Contact the City of Calumet
City Department of Inspectional Services.
670 Wentworth Avenue
(708) 891-8120
Local Drainage
| Sewer Backup
Properties in Calumet City are subject to three flood
problems: overbank flooding, local drainage, and sewer
backup. You could be faced with one, two or all three
of these hazards.
Overbank flooding: While the Grand Calumet River
flows along the City's northern boundary, it stays within
its banks and does not present a flooding hazard. The
real problem is overbank flooding from the Little Calumet
River in the southern part of the City. The approximate
boundary of the 100-year floodplain is shown as Zone A
on the map on the next page.
The first major flood in recent memory on the Little Cal
was in June 1981. It was followed by a flood almost as
high in December 1982. The Little Calumet's highest flood
on record (so far) occurred in November 1990. Heavy local
storms caused the river to rise over half a foot higher
than the 1981 record. It was estimated to be a "25-year"
flood. The July 1996 flood came within inches of the 1981
flood.
Construction of a levee on the Little Cal during the 1980's
kept the 1990 and 1996 floods out of most of the town.
However, a flood of as little as one half foot higher
than the 1990 one would overtop this barrier and cover
many blocks.
The best way to track the river level is to check the
website for the Little
Calumet River Gage at Cottage Grove Avenue.
The graph at this site gives river height in "stage."
A stage of zero equals 575 feet above sea level. If the
graph reads 5 feet, the river is 580 feet above sea level
at Cottage Grove.
For comparison, at 18.7 feet, 170th Street on the West
side of Thorn Creek is covered with water. The June 1981,
November 1990 and July 1996 floods all reached a stage
of between 20 and 21 feet. A stage of 23 feet would cover
the area shown as Zone A on the floodplain map.
Local drainage: Calumet
City's local drainage problems are primarily due to backed
up combined sewers and storm sewers. The sewers are designed
to drain streets and ponding areas along with transporting
sanitary sewage to treatment facilities. When they are
blocked or overloaded by heavy rains, the drainage system
is plugged. Stormwater sits for hours or days, waiting
for the sewers to clear.
Local drainage problems occur during storms in any part
of the City. In some cases, yard ponding will cause or
aggravate basement flooding. Flooded streets and yards
can cause or aggravate the health and safety problems
and disrupt traffic.
Sewer backup: With no
place to go, sewers back up and flow into the lowest opening
in the sewer line. Sanitary sewers back up into basements
and storm sewers back up into streets. An overloaded combined
sewer backs up into basements first and, if the water
gets deeper, into streets. With the completion of many
local sewer improvement projects and the Deep Tunnel connection
in 1996, the combined sewers have been better able to
handle their wet weather flows.
The City of Calumet City is implementing a variety of flood
protection activities. These include:
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Completion of a comprehensive floodplain management
plan that was adopted by the City Council in December
2005. Copies of the Plan's Executive Summary are
available free at the Department of Inspectional
Services. |
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Construction of many local sewer improvements.
We are now embarking on new projects in the far
north part of the City. |
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Upgrading the Little Calumet levee to provide
more secure protection from smaller floods. |
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Support for the Thornton Quarry Reservoir, which
will provide protection from larger floods
when complete. |
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Instituting a regular inspection and cleaning
program for the ditches and channels. |
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Making sure new construction is protected from
flooding and sewer backup. |
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Preserving flood-prone areas as open space. |
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Providing a host of materials, references and
advice on flood protection for homes and businesses.
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The Calumet City Public Library also has information
and reference materials on how you can help protect
yourself. You can visit the library online at: http://www.calumetcitypl.org/
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If you have experienced water problems in the past, you
shouldn't wait for the problem to go away. Here are some
things you can do:
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Read about flood proofing and get more information
from the Library on the measures appropriate for
your building. |
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Check out flood insurance coverage. |
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Read about the City's construction and dumping
regulations. Follow these rules and report violations
to the Department of Inspectional Services at 891-8120. |
Flood proofing: Flood proofing a house means altering
it so floodwaters will not cause damage. Different flood
proofing
techniques are appropriate for different types of buildings.
Use the following as a guideline:
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If you have a basement, split level, or other
floor below ground level, read Guide to Flood Protection
in Northeastern Illinois at the Library. There are
lots of ways to protect your basement or lower floor
from seepage and sewer backup. |
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If your house is on a slab foundation, investigate
a low floodwall, berm or "dry flood proofing" (i.e.,
making the walls watertight and closing all the
openings when a flood comes). |
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If your house is on a crawlspace, a low floodwall,
berm or "wet flood proofing" will work. "Wet flood
proofing"
means moving all items subject to damage out of
harm's way so water can flow into the crawlspace
and not cause any problems. If floodwaters go over
the first floor, it is relatively easy to elevate
the building to get the first floor above the flood
level. |
An excellent source for more information is
Protect Your Property, Home or
Business From Disaster.
It can
be read at the Library, ordered (for free) from the Federal
Emergency Management Agency by calling 1-800/480-2520,
or viewed and downloaded from FEMA's web site.
FEMA's recent publication,
Protecting
Utilities can be
viewed or downloaded on FEMA's website.
Emergency measures: No matter what kind of building
you have, some last minute emergency measures can always
help. For example, you could move valuable items (photos,
antiques, and other "irreplaceables," etc.) or items that
are most damaged by floodwaters (upholstered furniture,
stuffed toys, mattresses, foam rubber, etc.) up to a higher
level. You can place sandbags or plastic sheeting in front
of doorways and other low entry points.
The Red Cross has information on emergency protection
measures at:
http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_570_,00.html
Whatever emergency protection measures you use, it is
always best to have a plan written in advance to make
sure you don't forget anything after you hear the flood
warning. Keep in mind the following flood safety hints.
Flood insurance is highly recommended. Remember, even if
the last storm or flood missed you or you have done something
to protect your home from water, the next flood could
be worse. Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover
a property for flood damage.
The City of Calumet City participates in the National
Flood Insurance Program. Local insurance agents can sell
a flood insurance policy under rules and rates set by
the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Any agent
can sell a policy and all agents must charge the same
rates. See also FEMA's Answers to Questions About the
National Flood Insurance Program.
Any house can be covered by a flood insurance policy.
Detached garages and accessory buildings are covered under
the policy for the lot's main building. Separate coverage
can be obtained for the building's structure and for its
contents (except for money, valuable papers, and the like).
The structure generally includes everything that stays
with a house when it is sold, including the furnace, cabinets,
built-in appliances, and wall-to-wall carpeting.
There is no coverage for things outside the house, like
the driveway and landscaping. Renters can buy contents
coverage, even if the owner does not buy structural coverage
on the building.
| Some people have
purchased flood insurance because the bank required
it when they got a mortgage or home improvement
loan. Usually these policies just cover the building's
structure and not the contents. During the kind
of flooding that happens in Calumet City, there
is usually more damage to the furniture and contents
than there is to the structure. |
Don't
wait for the next flood to buy insurance protection.
There is a 30-day waiting period before National
Flood Insurance coverage takes effect. Contact your
insurance agent for more information on rates and
coverage. |
Several insurance companies have sump pump failure or
sewer backup coverage that can be added to a homeowner's
insurance policy. Each company has different amounts of
coverage, exclusions, deductibles, and arrangements. Most
are riders that cost extra. Most exclude damage from surface
flooding that would be covered by an NFIP policy. The
cost varies from nothing to up to about $75 for a rider
on your homeowner's insurance premium. The latest information
on flood insurance can be obtained from FEMA at:
http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/pages/index.jsp
Note for insurance agents: The Department of Inspectional
Services has copies of FEMA Elevation Certificates on
buildings built in the floodplain since 1998. To see if
an elevation certificate is available for a particular
property, contact us at 891-8120.
Do not walk through flowing water. Drowning is
the number one cause of flood deaths. Currents can be
deceptive; six inches of moving water can knock you off
your feet. Use a pole or stick to ensure that the ground
is still there before you go through an area where the
water is not flowing.
Do not drive through a flooded area. More people
drown in their cars than anywhere else. Don't drive around
road barriers; the road or bridge may be washed out.
Stay away from power lines and electrical wires.
The number two flood killer after drowning is electrocution.
Electrical current can travel through water. Report downed
power lines to Commonwealth Edison at 1-800/334-7661.
Look before you step. After a flood, the ground
and floors are covered with debris including broken bottles
and nails. Floors and stairs that have been covered with
mud can be very slippery.
Be alert for gas leaks. Use a flashlight to inspect
for damage. Don't smoke or use candles, lanterns, or open
flames unless you know the gas has been turned off and
the area has been ventilated. If you have questions on
gas, call 1-888/642-6748 (1-888/NICOR4U).
Carbon monoxide exhaust kills. Use a generator
or other gasoline-powered machine outdoors. The same goes
for camping stoves. Charcoal fumes are especially deadly-
cook with charcoal outdoors.
Clean everything that got wet. Floodwaters have
picked up sewage and chemicals from roads, farms, factories,
and storage buildings. Spoiled food, flooded cosmetics,
and medicine can be health hazards. When in doubt, throw
them out.
Take good care of yourself. Recovering from a flood
is a big job. It is tough on both the body and the spirit
and the effects a disaster has on you and your family
may last a long time. Keep your eyes open for signs of
anxiety, stress, and fatigue in you and your family.
Floodplains should be seen in their natural context. They
are more than just hazardous locations for human development.
They provide habitat for flora and fauna, groundwater
recharge, and recreational and aesthetic opportunities.
Several City parks front on the Little Calumet River,
providing a more scenic setting and more relief than other
locations provide.
Open and natural areas, such as the Forest Preserves,
absorb much more rain and floodwater than urbanized areas,
reducing flood flows on downstream properties. Wetlands
reduce flood velocities and erosion. Their plants filter
stormwater runoff, making it cleaner for those downstream.
There are many areas Calumet City that have been identified
as wetlands. The largest areas are in the Sand Ridge and
Wentworth Woods Forest Preserves.
Nearby Forest Preserves, such as Calumet City Woods, have
kept or restored oak woodlands and prairies close to their
natural state. These floodprone areas are used by a variety
of wildlife and provide habitat for species that cannot
live or breed anywhere else. For example, after being
gone for over 150 years, beaver have moved back into the
North Creek and Little Calumet River floodplains.
It is important that we preserve such natural areas and
wetlands. While some development is allowed, the City
and state and Federal agencies make sure that the natural
benefits of any filled wetlands are compensated by creation
of additional or improved wetland habitats nearby.
Another concern is water quality. The storm drain system
carries untreated stormwater runoff directly to our streams.
Pouring wastes into storm drains directly impacts our
environment. Oil, anti-freeze, paint, fertilizer and pesticides
pollute the water, destroy plants, and endanger wildlife.
For example, one quart of oil can contaminate 250,000
gallons of water. The oil from one motor oil change can
create an eight-acre oil slick. Therefore, you should
do your part to help keep our streams and storm drains
free of pollutants.
Every lot in Calumet City was originally designed so water
would flow away from the building and along property lines
to the street, storm sewer, or ditch. Fences, railroad
ties, landscaping and regrading block this flow. So do
construction projects in the ditches or the floodplain.
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Every piece of trash can contribute to flooding.
Even grass clippings and branches can accumulate
and plug channels. If your property is next to the
river or a storage basin, please do your part and
keep the banks clear of brush and debris. |
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DO NOT DUMP OR THROW ANYTHING INTO THE RIVER OR
BASINS. Dumping in a stream or storage basin is
a violation of City Code. |
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Always check with the Department of Inspectional
Services before you build on, fill, alter, or regrade
your property. A permit is needed to ensure that
such projects do not cause problems on other properties.
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If you see dumping or debris in the river or basins,
filling or construction near property lot lines,
or filling or construction in the floodplain without
a permit sign posted, contact the Department of
Inspectional Services at 891-8120. The debris or
project may cause flooding on your property. |
New buildings in the floodplain (the A Zone depicted on
map) must be protected from flood damage. Our building
code requires that new residential buildings must be
elevated one foot above the base flood level.
The ordinance also requires that all substantial
improvements to a building be treated as a new building.
A substantial improvement is when the value of an
addition, alteration, repair or reconstruction project
exceeds 50% of the value of the existing building. In
the case of an addition, only the addition must be
protected. In the case of an improvement to the original
building, the entire building must be protected.
For example, if a house in the floodplain is flooded,
has a fire, is hit by a tornado, or is otherwise damaged
so that the cost of repairs is more than 50% of the
value of the building before the damage, then the house
must be elevated above the base flood level. This is
explained in more detail in FEMA's book
Repairs,
Remodeling, Additions, and Retrofitting.
Contact Inspectional Services for additional
information regarding substantial improvements.
These regulations are designed to protect you and your
neighbors. By keeping the drainage system clear and
getting the proper permits before you build, we can
prevent flooding and other drainage problems.
Terms defined:
CSO - Combined Sewer Overflow; overflow of
combined sewage which discharges untreated wastewater
into the City’s contact waterway.
NPDES - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System
IEPA - Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
MWRDGC - Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
of Greater Chicago
TARP - Tunnel and Reservoir Plan
The majority of the City of
Calumet City is served by a combined sewer system, which
conveys both sanitary sewage produced by domestic
water use and storm runoff produced by snow melts and
rainfall. The City’s sewer system discharges through a
diversion chamber to interceptor sewers owned and
operated by the MWRDGC. The MWRDGC enacts many of the
required controls on behalf of its tributary
communities, including Calumet City. All of the CSO
locations have been connected to TARP, or the deep
tunnel system. The public sewer system in the City of
Calumet City contains seven combined sewer overflow
locations that discharge untreated wastewater into the
Little Calumet or Grand Calumet Rivers during heavy
precipitation events. These overflows are allowed, to a
limited extent, by NPDES permits administered through
the IEPA since the mid-1970s. As a condition of the
permit, a requirement is to implement a public
notification plan.
CSO Locations Adjacent to the
Little Calumet or Grand Calumet Rivers:
#1 At River Drive
#2 Between Arthur and Woodview Street
#3 At Greenbay Avenue
#4 Burnham Avenue (south)
#5 Freeland Avenue
#6 Lincoln Avenue
#7 East side of Burnham Avenue (north) at
State Street
The
City of Calumet City has adopted the Pollution
Notification Plan developed by the MWRDGC. The link to
the MWRDGC site is provided below, thus fulfilling the
public notification plan requirements of the NPDES
permit.
http://www.mwrd.org/mo/csoapp/cso.htm |
