Flood Mitigation
Northwest Illinois has seen an increase in flood events in recent years, resulting in property damage, crop loss, and disruptions to tourism and the economy. Flooding also delivers massive amounts of pollutants into local waterways, impacting water quality.
The weather events that drive flooding are predicted to increase in coming years, and it is essential that the region take steps now to limit the occurrence and impacts of flooding in the future. The frequency and intensity of floods can be reduced by increasing infiltration rates across the region and protecting the lands that provide this ecosystem service, primarily working farms and natural lands.
Flood plain protection should be a focus and goal of watershed plans in the region. This might include restricting development, requiring that land uses in the flood plain provide some degree of infiltration, or protecting natural areas within the flood plain.
A map of the 100-Year Flood Plain can be accessed through the Prairie State Conservation Coalitions I-View map: http://www.prairiestateconservation.org/pscc/iview/
Consequences to equity and the economy must be considered and addressed in mitigation efforts, as they will likely impact residential, agricultural, and/or industrial lands.
Mitigation efforts should prioritize areas where flooding most heavily impacts the economy and quality of life.
To avoid future damage to property, infrastructure, and local economies, land use planning and zoning should restrict development in the flood plain and in ecologically sensitive areas that maximize infiltration and protect the region from flooding.
In some cases, it may be necessary to relocate residents and existing development out of the flood plain, as is being done in Freeport and Machesney Park using FEMA funds.
Communities and stakeholders should be engaged and involved in identifying alternative uses for land in the flood plain, such as parks, natural land conservation, or pervious parking. Community involvement should improve understanding of the need for and benefits of flood mitigation projects and allow the community to provide input that results in quality-of-life improvements, increased equity, and community buy-in.
Stormwater should flow primarily through green infrastructure, particularly in the built environment, reducing runoff, increasing groundwater recharge, lowering demands on traditional stormwater systems, and ultimately reducing the intensity and frequency of flood events.
Areas that experience frequent flooding should largely be conserved as natural areas, like wetlands and riparian corridors, which can not only withstand periodic flooding without economic impact but can reduce flood damage to the region’s developed and agricultural lands by taking on excess flood waters and increasing infiltration rates.
A regional water trail approach to flood plain protection can be a very targeted and effective means of flood mitigation. Greenways also provide recreational opportunities and health benefits to residents and can positively impact local economies.
Land conservation intended to mitigate flood damage should be viewed as a public benefit and be funded, in part, as such. Public-private partnerships should be leveraged to establish permanently protected natural areas and conservation organizations should pursue purchased and donated easements to ensure continued flood mitigation.